pollute

[ puh-loot ]

verb (used with object)

, pol·lut·ed, pol·lut·ing.

1. to make foul or unclean, especially with harmful chemical or waste products; dirty:

   to pollute the air with smoke.

   Synonyms: befoul, soil

   Antonyms: purify

2. to make morally unclean; defile.

   Synonyms: deprave, debase, corrupt, vitiate, contaminate, taint

   Antonyms: purify

3. to render ceremonially impure; desecrate:

   to pollute a house of worship.

4. Informal. to render less effective or efficient:

   The use of inferior equipment has polluted the company's service.

pollute

/ pəˈluːt /

verb

1. to contaminate, as with poisonous or harmful substances
2. to make morally corrupt or impure; sully
3. to desecrate or defile

Derived Forms

• polˈluter, noun

Other Words From

• pol·luter noun
• pol·lutive adjective
• nonpol·luting adjective
• unpol·luting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pollute¹

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; per-

Word History and Origins

Origin of pollute¹

C14 polute, from Latin polluere to defile

Example Sentences

Like a snake gorging on its own tail, domestic disrupters are weaponizing America’s First Amendment to get rid of it so that the oligarchs funding them can drill, shoot, pollute, and defraud American consumers with impunity.

From Salon

The worst offenders, Gössling says, can pollute 550 times more than the average person in a given year through private jet travel alone.

From Los Angeles Times

The proposed laws will apply in England and Wales and give increased powers to regulators to tackle companies who pollute and make it easier for them to be fined.

From BBC

“It’s Big Ag wanting to do business as usual, pollute, exploit and degrade human health, all for profit,” she said.

From Salon

As humans continue to pollute the environment — such as by overly-emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere — it only gets worse.

From Salon

Related Words

• contaminate
• foul
• infect
• poison
• stain
• taint
• violate