pollute
verb (used with object)
to make foul or unclean, especially with harmful chemical or waste products; dirty.
was polluting
-
past progressiveof pollute.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
The governor immediately told a staffer to look into why a large mound of dirt that was polluting the neighborhood was still there, according to Montaño.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2024
In response to the fine, Musk threatened to sue the agency and SpaceX put out a public blog post hitting back against "false reporting" that part of the rocket was polluting the environment.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2024
The TVA had been fighting a lawsuit claiming the coal ash was polluting the Cumberland River, a source of drinking water for Nashville downstream.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 24, 2019
Ross said the Levi’s plant was polluting the water with toxic dyes.
From New York Times ● Feb. 25, 2019
Mining was banned in the mineral-rich state by a federal court in 2014 after local communities said it was polluting water bodies.
From The Guardian ● Dec. 26, 2018
