Thesaurus results for POLLUTION

pollution

noun

Definition of pollution

as in contamination

the action or process of making the environment dirty or harmful The company designed devices to reduce the pollution of the world's oceans.

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as in corruption

something that makes (someone) less pure, honest, or moral They refused to let their children play violent video games, believing that they caused pollution in a developing mind.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of pollution In reality, there are masses of eco wins, attested to by being the first resort in the Balearics to be certified by BREEAM, an independent international body which assesses criteria such as energy, land use, pollution and waste. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026 Without such remedies, the turbines risked drastically spiking pollution in already vulnerable neighborhoods housing predominantly Black communities nearby, the NAACP argued. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026 After a gas leak killed thousands of people in Bhopal, India, in 1984, companies pledged to publish reports of their progress on safety and pollution. — Caitlin Babcock, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Oct. 2026 During his nearly eight-year tenure as governor, which will end this January, DeSantis has prevented Florida cities from reducing climate-affecting pollution and Florida schools from mentioning climate change in class. — News Desk, Artforum, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pollution

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pollution

Noun

During Tuesday's news conference, Environment Georgia Research & Policy Center State Director Jennette Gayer said contamination is widespread.

— Rashad Williams, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Possible risks include contamination, allergic reactions and tumor growth, according to the FDA.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of contamination

Noun

Democrats have targeted Paxton, who is benefiting from millions in outside spending, over corruption claims and his impeachment by the Texas Legislature, though he was later acquitted.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Even leftist lawmakers support to some of those ideas in the wake of a corruption scandal that ensnared the court.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of corruption

Noun

Without a mask, without fear of needing lung implants, without having to worry about inhaling a soupçon of strychnine or similar industrial pollutants.

— Jeff Spry, Space.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Gas and coal power plants also emit air pollutants and the greenhouse gases causing climate change, leading to more health costs.

— Justine Calma, The Verge, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of pollutant

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polluting

pollution

pollutions

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“Pollution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pollution. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of pollution

noun

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