defile

¹ American  

[dih-fahyl] / dɪˈfaɪl /

verb (used with object)

defiled, defiling

1. to make foul, dirty, or unclean; pollute; taint; debase.

2. to make impure for ceremonial use; desecrate.

3. to sully, as a person's reputation.

4. Archaic. to violate the chastity of.

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defile ² American  

[dih-fahyl, dee-fahyl] / dɪˈfaɪl, ˈdi faɪl /

noun

1. any narrow passage, especially between mountains.

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verb (used without object)

defiled, defiling

1. to march in a line or by files.

defile ¹ British  

/ dɪˈfaɪl /

verb

1. to make foul or dirty; pollute

2. to tarnish or sully the brightness of; taint; corrupt

3. to damage or sully (someone's good name, reputation, etc)

4. to make unfit for ceremonial use; desecrate

5. to violate the chastity of

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defile ² British  

/ ˈdiːfaɪl, dɪˈfaɪl /

noun

1. a narrow pass or gorge, esp one between two mountains

2. a single file of soldiers, etc

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verb

1. military to march or cause to march in single file

Other Word Forms

• defilable
  adjective
• defilement
  noun
• defiler
  noun
• defilingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of defile¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English defilen, defelen, alteration of defoilen (by association with filen “to defile” ( see file ³), from Anglo-French, Old French defouler “to trample on, violate”; compare Old English befȳlan “to befoul”

Origin of defile²

1675–85; < French défilé, noun use of past participle of défiler to file off; see defilade

Explanation

When you defile something, you make it dirty or make it lose its purity. Think of a snowy field in which someone has tossed their old cans and wrappers. The litter defiles the winter wonderland. For something to be defiled, it first must be pure. You can't defile a garbage dump or a messy room. Defile is often used in a religious context. If you were to burn a copy of the Bible or spray-paint the walls of a church, it could be said that you defiled the holy book or place.

Example Sentences

A soldier who requested anonymity explained to AFP that since then the body had been guarded around the clock "so that rival groups do not defile him."

From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026

Some Parisians backed the move, but others - including heritage campaigners - said it was a bad idea and would "defile" the French capital's iconic monument.

From BBC • Sep. 2, 2024

Protesters blocked construction crews in 2015 and 2019, saying building a new telescope there would further defile a site that they say has already been harmed by a dozen other observatories.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 19, 2022

Earlier in his career, Leto’s androgynous appeal was so conspicuous it’s as if certain filmmakers needed to defile it somehow.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2021

Mr. Das headed up the defile with the children, the boys at his side, the little girl on his shoulders.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Related Words

• besmirch
• debase
• degrade
• desecrate
• discolor
• dishonor
• sully
• vitiate