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Synonyms

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.

defile 2 American  
[dih-fahyl, dee-fahyl] / dɪˈfaɪl, ˈdi faɪl /

noun

  1. any narrow passage, especially between mountains.

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
defile 2 British  
/ ˈdiːfaɪl, dɪˈfaɪl /

noun

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

  2. a single file of soldiers, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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” ( 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; defilade

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

“I don’t want to send any signal that it was okay to defile our Capitol,” he said.

From Washington Post • Jan. 30, 2022

It’s amazing how quickly he can defile a space.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.