1
as in contamination
the action or process of making the environment dirty or harmful
The company designed devices to reduce the pollution of the world's oceans.
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2
as in corruption
something that makes (someone) less pure, honest, or moral
They refused to let their children play violent video games, believing that they caused pollution in a developing mind.
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Recent Examples of pollution
Additionally, aluminum doesn't decompose in landfills, contributing to long-term environmental pollution.
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Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 1 Dec. 2024
This finding may not be all that surprising—after all, people in Copenhagen enjoy a higher quality of life, less environmental pollution, and fewer hours of direct sun exposure on average than the residents of many other capital cities.
—Ana Morales, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2024
However, many worry about mining for critical minerals that's needed for technologies that reduce climate pollution, like batteries, solar panels and electric vehicles.
—Nate Perez, NPR, 29 Nov. 2024
Arimoto acknowledges that her nail art is a drop in an ocean of plastic pollution, but says raising consciousness of the problem is a step towards working together for a solution.
—Reuters, NBC News, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pollution 
Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 1 Dec. 2024
This finding may not be all that surprising—after all, people in Copenhagen enjoy a higher quality of life, less environmental pollution, and fewer hours of direct sun exposure on average than the residents of many other capital cities.
—Ana Morales, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2024
However, many worry about mining for critical minerals that's needed for technologies that reduce climate pollution, like batteries, solar panels and electric vehicles.
—Nate Perez, NPR, 29 Nov. 2024
Arimoto acknowledges that her nail art is a drop in an ocean of plastic pollution, but says raising consciousness of the problem is a step towards working together for a solution.
—Reuters, NBC News, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pollution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pollution
Noun
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The contamination was discovered after samples of the product were collected from a store in Baltimore, Maryland, and laboratory analysis by the State of Maryland Department of Health determined that they were contaminated with listeria.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
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The attorneys also claim that the migrating contamination onto Tucson property constitutes trespassing.Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
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In 2016, parliament impeached Park Geun-hye, the country’s first female president, over a corruption scandal.Kim Tong-Hyung, Chicago Tribune, 14 Dec. 2024
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The only other president to be successfully impeached was Park Geun-hye, a conservative who left office in 2017 and was sentenced to 22 years in prison for a corruption scandal involving major corporations and the daughter of a cult leader.Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Scientists have connected both of these pollutants to a range of acute and chronic health issues.Sarah Garone, Health, 13 Dec. 2024
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Tobacco smoke has small particles that are better addressed with higher CADR ratings, while dust is a pollutant with medium-sized particles, and pollen has large particles, according to the EPA.Deidre McPhillips, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near pollution
Cite this Entry
“Pollution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pollution. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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