defile

1 of 3

verb (1)

de·​file di-ˈfī(-ə)l How to pronounce defile (audio)
dē-
defiled; defiling

transitive verb

: to make unclean or impure: such as
a
: to corrupt the purity or perfection of : debase
the countryside defiled by billboards
b
: to violate the chastity or virginity of : deflower
c
: to make physically unclean especially with something unpleasant or contaminating
boots defiled with blood
… I had never allowed anyone to smoke in the truck. Drunk as I was, I knew that I was betraying something by allowing him to defile the truck's interior.Patrick Moore
d
: to violate the sanctity of : desecrate
defile a sanctuary
went to jail for costuming themselves in the American flag and thus defiling itJames R. Gaines
e
: sully, dishonor
defile his reputation
defilement noun
defiler noun

defile

2 of 3

noun

geology
: a narrow passage (as between hills, rocks, or cliffs) : gorge entry 1
… come to us from a narrow defile in the Pennine Alps between Switzerland and Italy, a place called the Great St. Bernard Pass.Michael Olmert

defile

3 of 3

verb (2)

defiled; defiling

intransitive verb

military
: to march off in a line
… breaks out into a brave and glorious description of the forces, as they defiled through the principal gate of the city …Washington Irving

Did you know?

The verb defile (unrelated to this verb defile or its related noun) has a number of uses that are all variations on the idea of making something unclean or impure. These meanings echo the word’s Middle English and Anglo-French ancestry, where defilement is connected to figurative and literal trampling. The ultimate Anglo-French root is fuller, or foller, which means “to trample under foot,” “to oppress”—or literally, “to full.” Full in this case is a technical term: when you full woolen cloth you shrink and thicken it by moistening, heating, and pressing it. Originally, the pressing part was done by trampling it with the feet.

Choose the Right Synonym for defile

contaminate, taint, pollute, defile mean to make impure or unclean.

contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source.

water contaminated by industrial wastes

taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination.

tainted meat
a politician's tainted reputation

pollute, sometimes interchangeable with contaminate, distinctively may imply that the process which begins with contamination is complete and that what was pure or clean has been made foul, poisoned, or filthy.

the polluted waters of the river

defile implies befouling of what could or should have been kept clean and pure or held sacred and commonly suggests violation or desecration.

defile a hero's memory with slanderous innuendo

Examples of defile in a Sentence

Verb (1) supplies of meat that had been defiled by maggots art conservators were careful not to do anything that might defile the holy relic Noun the cattle, once they were cornered in the defile, were quickly rounded up
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Naresh Bhatt, 37, was indicted by a grand jury on the charges of murder and physically defiling a dead body. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024 Naresh Bhatt, 37, of Manassas Park, Va., was indicted on charges of murder and defiling a dead body more than four months after his wife disappeared and blood was found in their home, according to court documents. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 4 Dec. 2024
Noun
Navarette Romero, a Honduran national, was found with some of the victim's belongings, the chief said, and he was charged with abduction with intent to defile and rape. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024 One defiles realism, and the other refuses to let it out of its grip. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for defile 

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, alteration (influenced by filen to defile, from Old English fȳlan) of defoilen to trample, defile, from Anglo-French defoiller, defuler, to trample, from de- + fuller, foller to trample, literally, to full — more at full

Noun

French défilé, from past participle of défiler — see defile entry 3

Verb (2)

French défiler, from dé- de- + filer to move in a column — more at file

First Known Use

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1685, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1705, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of defile was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near defile

Cite this Entry

“Defile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defile. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

defile

1 of 2 verb
de·​file di-ˈfī(ə)l How to pronounce defile (audio)
defiled; defiling
1
: to make filthy : dirty
stored grain defiled by rats
2
: to corrupt the purity or perfection of
defile buildings with posters
3
: desecrate
a shrine defiled by the invaders
4
: dishonor entry 2 sense 1
defiled our good name
defilement noun
defiler noun

defile

2 of 2 noun
: a narrow passage or gorge

Legal Definition

defile

transitive verb
de·​file di-ˈfīl How to pronounce defile (audio)
defiled; defiling
: to dishonor by physical acts (as trampling, dirtying, or mutilating)
defiling the flag
defilement noun
defiler noun

More from Merriam-Webster on defile

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