pollutant
noun
pol·lut·ant
pə-ˈlü-tᵊnt 
plural pollutants
: something that pollutes
especially
: something (such as anthropogenic waste) that makes an environment unsuitable or unsafe for use
sources of pollutants [=pollution] in the environment
Meanwhile, scientists warned that other air pollutants—especially from automobiles—might also be contributing to health problems, forest damage and decreased crop production. —
National Wildlife
National Wildlife Formaldehyde is an important atmospheric pollutant that can be produced in photochemical smog. —Des W. Connell
Des W. Connell A 165-foot cement tower contains radium-rich blends that have given off radon gas—a pollutant that can cause cancer. —Michael H. Brown
Michael H. Brown Examples of pollutant in a Sentence
filtered the pollutants out of the water
Recent Examples on the Web
Across the country, communities are grappling with the boom of data centers and supercomputing facilities, which consume voracious amounts of electricity and water and can emit smog-producing pollutants.
—Wendi C. Thomas, ProPublica, 22 Aug. 2025
Top pollutants reported at facilities include chromium compounds, benzene, polycyclic aromatic compounds, cadmium compounds, nickel compounds, arsenic compounds, quinoline, manganese compounds, lead compounds and naphthalene, according to the study.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
Wildfire smoke is made up of a variety of pollutants, including particulate matter and ozone, which can cause respiratory health effects.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
These alerts are issued when the Air Quality Index is forecast to reach unhealthy levels due to a combination of ozone, wildfire smoke and other pollutants, according to state health officials.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pollutant
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Wendi C. Thomas, ProPublica, 22 Aug. 2025
Top pollutants reported at facilities include chromium compounds, benzene, polycyclic aromatic compounds, cadmium compounds, nickel compounds, arsenic compounds, quinoline, manganese compounds, lead compounds and naphthalene, according to the study.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
Wildfire smoke is made up of a variety of pollutants, including particulate matter and ozone, which can cause respiratory health effects.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
These alerts are issued when the Air Quality Index is forecast to reach unhealthy levels due to a combination of ozone, wildfire smoke and other pollutants, according to state health officials.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pollutant
Cite this Entry
“Pollutant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pollutant. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pollutant
noun
pol·lut·ant
pə-ˈlüt-ᵊnt
: something that pollutes
Medical Definition
pollutant
noun
pol·lut·ant
pə-ˈlüt-ᵊnt
: something that pollutes
especially
: something (such as anthropogenic waste) that makes an environment unsuitable or unsafe for use
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