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Glite Dictionary
to pollute

to pollute

109 3.4
To make water, air or land dirty by adding harmful waste
  • verb
  • /pəˈluːt/
translation icon : contaminar
  • If we continue to pollute our rivers, the local wildlife will be deeply affected.
  • pollute the water
  • pollute the air
  • pollute the environment

OK, so somebody says to Jeff Booth, Bitcoin is polluting the planet.

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Examples

  • Because the oil industry pollutes significantly.

  • So we used to pollute our rivers far more than we do now.

  • That we're not going to let there be places where you can pollute without consequence.

  • Water here is all polluted.

    The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)

  • No country should have an indefinite right to pollute more than others simply because it is wealthier.

    Academic text (2008)

  • The reliance of the majority of the population on polluted water supply sources poses a great risk to health.

    Academic text (2008)

  • Boston Harbor is one of the most polluted harbors in the United States.

    Academic text (1992)

  • The water treatment facility then purified the polluted water before reintroducing it to the James River.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Associations of fishermen, for example, oppose oil exploitation that could pollute the source of their livelihood.

    Academic text (1999)

  • This massive scale of fossil fuel dependence pollutes the Earth, and it won't last forever.

Synonyms

to contaminate
vsto pollute
248 4.9

To make things like water or soil unsafe by adding harmful substances

focuses on making air, water, or soil dirty with poisonous waste
to taint
vsto pollute
126 7.3

To make something harmful or spoil its quality

is used for making natural media dirty or harmful with poisons
to foul
vsto pollute
18 4.5

To make something dirty or blocked so it does not work properly

emphasises adding poisonous waste that harms air, water, or soil
to dirty
vsto pollute
14 1.0

To make something unclean or covered with dirt

involves adding waste or poisonous substances that cause environmental harm
to befoul
vsto pollute
3 9.4

Make something dirty or spoiled by adding harmful things

applies mainly to making natural elements dirty or harmful with poisonous substances

Antonyms

to clean
∞ 1.0

To remove dirt and stains

to purify
30 4.6

To remove dirt and bad chemicals from water or air to make them clean

How Polluted

to contaminate
248 4.9
to pollute
109 3.4
to taint
126 7.3
to dirty
14 1.0

Surface Forms

pollute infinitive
polluted past
polluted past participle
polluting present participle
pollutes third person singular

Etymology

Pollute comes from the old Latin word polluere, which means 'to soil' or 'to make dirty'. So, to pollute today is to make the air, water, or ground dirty and harmful.