pollute
verb (used with object)
to make foul or unclean, especially with harmful chemical or waste products; dirty.
polluting
-
present participleof pollute.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
Older, more polluting vehicles had to pay a daily charge to drive in central London.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
“The last thing we need is a loud, water thieving, light polluting, data center anywhere near our town,” Nelson wrote late last month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
Some locals say the renewed jockeying for clients is the latest distraction from the fight over the toxins they believe are polluting their home.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
The paper included 15 wedges, three of which involved some form of carbon capture and eight of which involved using traditional fossil fuels, though in more efficient, or less polluting, ways.
From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026
“It’s so peaceful here. This is what life is all about. No cell phones, no iPods, no cars driving by polluting our lungs.”
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
