1
as in desecration
an act of great disrespect shown to God or to sacred ideas, people, or things
for two centuries the Christian monasteries in England suffered defilements at the hands of Viking invaders
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in contamination
something that is or that makes impure
souvenir shops, observation towers, and other tacky defilements on Civil War battlefields that should be considered hallowed ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defilement
Noun
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Simply put, their acts are a desecration of the pursuit of knowledge.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
18 Mar. 2025 -
To Michael Hirsch, the desecration of hundreds of graves was a shanda, a shame, a ghoulish crime.—
Maria Cramer,
New York Times,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Officials are investigating several fire stations between Livermore and Pleasanton for water contamination as Pleasanton continues looking for new well sites.—
Kyle Martin,
The Mercury News,
25 Mar. 2025
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More than 160,000 bottles of laundry detergent are being recalled for possible bacterial contamination.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Labor unions representing university professors on Wednesday filed a lawsuit claiming the detentions of noncitizen students and faculty is a violation of the First Amendment, as is the threat to remove Columbia University's $400 million in federal funds if the university did not make changes.—
Caroline Linton,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2025
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He was arrested last week on charges of first-degree stalking and violation of a protective order.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Experts credit more sensitive testing technology to detect contaminants in many household food products.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA TODAY,
17 Mar. 2025
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Samples go through a thorough treatment to remove as much contamination as possible, but contaminants still occasionally remain after this process.—
Jack Knudson,
Discover Magazine,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Arguments and accusations of blasphemy regarding teaching yoga sutras rather than Bible scripture are rife within the Black yoga community.—
Tamika Caston-Miller,
Outside Online,
26 Feb. 2025
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Throughout its engagement with the OIC, the special envoy has prioritized the protection of human rights, routinely championing the equal rights of religious minorities and opposing laws that criminalize blasphemy and apostasy.—
Arsalan Suleman,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Aug. 2017
Noun
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Wellness benefits: Purifies indoor air Low-maintenance care Reduces harmful pollutants 9.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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Biofuels still produce pollutants, but some 98% of the city’s construction sites were free of fossil fuels in 2023.—
Troy Aidan Sambajon,
The Christian Science Monitor,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Boland states that a comprehensive charter is needed to address Chicago’s continuing climate of political corruption.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2025
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The growing pace of space as a commercial resource brings with it the prospect for misdeeds, corruption, piracy, and war.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Such a transformation would represent an irrevocable loss: a profound sacrilege not only to the city’s rich history but also to the cultural legacy for the future generations.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
23 Feb. 2025
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For many liberals and radicals, beginning with Lord Byron, Elgin was a vandal who had committed sacrilege.—
Ralph Leonard,
The Atlantic,
4 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Defilement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defilement. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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