pollute

[ puh-loot ]

See synonyms for: pollute polluted polluting on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),pol·lut·ed, pol·lut·ing.

to make foul or unclean, especially with harmful chemical or waste products; dirty: to pollute the air with smoke.
to make morally unclean; defile.

to render ceremonially impure; desecrate: to pollute a house of worship.
Informal. to render less effective or efficient: The use of inferior equipment has polluted the company's service.

Origin of pollute

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English polute, from Latin pollūtus, past participle of polluere “to soil, defile,” equivalent to pol-, assimilated variant of por- “forth, forward” (variant of prefix per- ), here marking completed action + -lū- base of -luere (akin to lutum “mud, dirt,” lustrum “muddy place”) + -tus past participle suffix; see per-

Other words for pollute

1	soil, befoul
2	taint, contaminate, vitiate, corrupt, debase, deprave

See synonyms for pollute on Thesaurus.com

Opposites for pollute

1, 2

purify

See antonyms for pollute on Thesaurus.com

Other words from pollute

pol·lut·er, noun
pol·lu·tive, adjective
non·pol·lut·ing, adjective
un·pol·lut·ing, adjective

Words Nearby pollute

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use pollute in a sentence

Oil also still accounts for a large share of polluting emissions due to its use in powering cars and trucks.
Solar power got cheap. So why aren’t we using it more? | Ula Chrobak | January 28, 2021 | Popular-Science
“I think that’s really neat, because otherwise, this stuff would have just sat there, polluting the environment,” he said.
Amateur Baltimore historian unearths new passion for archaeology | Angela Roberts | January 21, 2021 | Washington Post
That’s because all the federal and state permits require knowing first what’s polluting it.
Who Owns the Tijuana River – and Who Needs Its Water Most | MacKenzie Elmer and Vicente Calderón | January 11, 2021 | Voice of San Diego
This year, Oregon State University released two studies which found logging can cause long-lasting water shortages and pollute drinking water with herbicides and dirt.
Timber Tax Cuts Cost Oregon Towns Billions. Then Polluted Water Drove Up the Price. | by Tony Schick, Oregon Public Broadcasting, and Rob Davis, The Oregonian/OregonLive | January 1, 2021 | ProPublica
The cartoonist boldly drew and held the line against merchandising his creation, lest commercial tie-ins pollute the purity of the creator and reader experience.
‘Calvin and Hobbes’ said goodbye 25 years ago. Here’s why Bill Watterson’s masterwork enchants us still. | Michael Cavna | December 31, 2020 | Washington Post

Heaven forbid we pollute young minds with such right-wing neocon propaganda!
Rutgers’s Silly Condoleezza Rice Protest | Kristen Soltis Anderson | May 5, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
We pollute, but our feeble efforts at cleanup have been largely unsuccessful.
Beware at the Beach, the Jellyfish Rule the Seas and It’s Our Fault | Lisa-ann Gershwin | June 20, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
Livestock degrade land, contribute to climate change, pollute water, and destroy biodiversity.
Meat Glue, Pink Slime, Health Risks & More Reasons to Never Eat Meat | The Daily Beast | March 13, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
Look for this aquaculture to catch on as mankind, unfortunately, continues to pollute our waterways.
What's Next for Foodies | Jacquelynn D. Powers | September 10, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST
Moreover, a neighbor may pollute the water supply, foul the air, and adulterate the food.
Euthenics, the science of controllable environment | Ellen H. Richards
And hence, bound by religion, they did not dare to pollute fire destined for daily uses with any uncleanliness.
Fishes, Flowers, and Fire as Elements and Deities in the Phallic Faiths and Worship of the Ancient Religions of Greece, Babylon, | Anonymous
His pause attracted the notice of one of the unhappy beings whom we suffer to pollute our streets and rot in our hospitals.
Lucretia, Complete | Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Thus the Papists began again to pollute the land, which God had lately plagued.
The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland | John Knox
The sound of his voice should never be suffered to pollute the Hall of the Representatives of the American people.
Abridgement of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856 (4 of 16 vol.) | Various

British Dictionary definitions for pollute

pollute

/ (pəˈluːt) /

verb(tr)

to contaminate, as with poisonous or harmful substances
to make morally corrupt or impure; sully

to desecrate or defile

Origin of pollute

C14 polute, from Latin polluere to defile

Derived forms of pollute

polluter, noun

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

Browse