polluted

[ puh-loo-tid ]

adjective

1. made unclean or impure; contaminated; tainted:

   swimming in polluted waters.

2. Slang. drunk ( def 1 ).

polluted

/ pəˈluːtɪd /

adjective

1. made unclean or impure; contaminated
2. slang.
   intoxicated; drunk

Other Words From

• pol·luted·ness noun
• unpol·luted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of polluted¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; pollute, -ed ²

Example Sentences

Delhi was the most polluted capital city in the world in 2023, according to a Swiss-based air-quality monitoring group.

From BBC

India was also ranked as the world's third-most polluted country after neighbours Bangladesh and Pakistan, IQAir said.

From BBC

Again, untreated effluent polluted the rivers and the local marsh rhyne drainage system.

From BBC

They say the only water they can find here is polluted.

From BBC

“Lahore is much more polluted than Delhi with pollution episodes that last longer and reach higher peaks,” he notes.

From BBC

Related Words

• awful
• dirty
• fierce
• horrible
• icky
• murderous
• noxious
• obnoxious
• ornery
• outrageous
• rough
• tough
• unpleasant
• vile
• vulgar