pollution

noun

pol·​lu·​tion pə-ˈlü-shən 

1

a

: the action of polluting

especially : the action of making an environment unsuitable or unsafe for use by introducing man-made waste

Abandoned mining and milling operations are already implicated in pollution of the river with toxic and radioactive waste products …

—Larry Brown

b

: the condition of being polluted

A three-year study … has indicated that the lake already is suffering from severe pollution and that any additional development will exacerbate it.

—Anthony DePalma

2

: something that pollutes

especially : something (such as man-made waste) that makes an environment unsuitable or unsafe for use

tested the levels of pollution [=pollutants] in the water

Examples of pollution in a Sentence

industrial practices that have caused pollution of the air and water

The tests showed high levels of pollution in the water.

The fish are dying of pollution.

Recent Examples on the Web

Seafood is the main dietary source of mercury, thanks to pollution from mining and other industrial activities. —Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 2 May 2025

The environmental advocacy group Earthjustice has said that the rule forced 1,800 facilities across the country to tighten air pollution controls to comply with the law. —Tracy J. Wholf, CBS News, 2 May 2025

These social species are sensitive to water pollution and will disappear from areas with high human populations if the waterways are compromised, Oregon Zoo said, which is why they are considered rare outside the region. —Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 2 May 2025

According to the analysis, 46% of Americans are now exposed to harmful air pollution, the highest share recorded in the organization's reports across the past decade. —Henna Hundal, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing pollution

• light pollution
• noise pollution
• thermal pollution

Rhymes for pollution

• ablution
• aleutian
• confucian
• dilution
• elution
• locution
• solution
• volution
• absolution
• allocution
• attribution
• comminution

Kids Definition

pollution

noun

pol·​lu·​tion pə-ˈlü-shən 

1

: the action of polluting : the state of being polluted

air pollution

compare noise pollution, thermal pollution

2

: pollutant

Medical Definition

pollution

noun

pol·​lu·​tion pə-ˈlü-shən 

1

: the action of polluting or the condition of being polluted

2

: something (such as anthropogenic waste) that makes an environment unsuitable or unsafe for use : pollutant