pollute
gb/pəlˈut/ us/pəlˈut/
B2
English
szennyez, beszennyez, megmérgez
VERB
B2
1
szennyez
B1
Usage pattern:
pollute [air/water/land/place] (with [waste/chemicals/smoke])
Car exhaust continues to pollute the air in many large cities.
Az autók kipufogógáza sok nagyvárosban továbbra is szennyezi a levegőt.
The factory was fined for polluting the river with untreated waste.
A gyárat megbírságolták, mert kezeletlen hulladékkal szennyezte a folyót.
Plastic trash can pollute the ocean for decades.
Learner examples
Smoke can pollute the air.
A füst szennyezheti a levegőt.
Factories can pollute rivers.
A gyárak szennyezhetik a folyókat.
Common mistake:
Use a direct object: say “pollute the river” (or “pollute the river with chemicals”), not “pollute to the river.”
Meaning
make the environment dirty or harmful
Collocations
pollute the air
|pollute rivers
|pollute waterways
|pollute the ocean
|pollute the atmosphere
|pollute the environment
|industrial pollution pollutes
|heavily polluted areas
|polluted water
|polluted air
Synonyms
contaminate (More neutral/technical; focuses on making something impure or unsafe.)
|
foul (Often suggests making something dirty in an unpleasant way.)
|
poison (Stronger; emphasizes causing harm or toxicity.)
Antonyms
clean (Remove dirt or harmful substances.)
|
purify (Make something pure or free of contaminants.)
Themes
environment
|climate
|public_health
|science
Definition
To make the environment dirty or dangerous.
To make air, water, or land dirty or unsafe by adding harmful substances or waste.
VERB
B2
2
beszennyez
B2
Usage pattern:
pollute [water supply/food/sample] (with [bacteria/chemicals])
Runoff from the mine polluted nearby drinking water.
A bányából származó lefolyó víz beszennyezte a közeli ivóvizet.
A leak could pollute the reservoir and affect thousands of homes.
Egy szivárgás beszennyezheti a víztározót, és több ezer otthont érinthet.
If the container isn’t sealed properly, it can pollute the sample.
Learner examples
Chemicals can pollute drinking water.
A vegyi anyagok beszennyezhetik az ivóvizet.
Common mistake:
In everyday English, “contaminate” is often preferred for food, medical samples, and lab work, but “pollute” is also used, especially in news reporting.
Meaning
contaminate a substance or supply
Collocations
pollute the water supply
|pollute drinking water
|pollute a reservoir
|pollute a well
|pollute a food source
|pollute a sample
|polluted drinking water
|polluted groundwater
Synonyms
contaminate (Most common for substances, food, and lab contexts.)
|
taint (Often used for food/drink; suggests spoilage or bad quality.)
Antonyms
sterilize (Remove germs from something (especially equipment or surfaces).)
|
decontaminate (Remove contamination from a substance or area.)
Themes
health
|food
|science
|public_health
Definition
To make something like water or food unsafe.
To make a particular substance or supply impure or unsafe by introducing unwanted material, germs, or chemicals.
VERB
C1
FORMAL
3
megmérgez
B2
Usage pattern:
pollute [mind/debate/discourse/culture] (with [hatred/misinformation])
They argued that hate speech pollutes public discourse.
Szerintük a gyűlöletbeszéd megmérgezi a közbeszédet.
She tried not to let bitterness pollute her memories of the trip.
Próbálta nem hagyni, hogy a keserűség megmérgezze az utazás emlékeit.
Misinformation can pollute the debate and distract from the facts.
Learner examples
Lies can pollute the discussion.
A hazugságok megmérgezhetik a vitát.
Common mistake:
This figurative use is usually formal; in casual speech people often say “ruin,” “mess up,” or “poison.”
Meaning
spoil something morally or mentally
Collocations
pollute the mind
|pollute public discourse
|pollute the debate
|pollute the conversation
|pollute the culture
|pollute the internet with misinformation
|polluted thinking
Synonyms
corrupt (Often suggests moral damage or dishonest influence.)
|
taint (Suggests damaging something’s reputation or purity.)
|
poison (Strong; emphasizes harmful influence on attitudes or relationships.)
Antonyms
cleanse (Remove bad influences or harmful material (often figurative).)
|
purify (Make something morally or mentally cleaner or more wholesome.)
Themes
society
|ethics
|communication
|media
Definition
To make something less pure or good by adding bad influences.
To spoil or corrupt something considered pure, healthy, or unbiased, such as a person’s mind, a culture, or a public discussion.
Grammar
Dictionary form
pollute
IPA
GB/pəlˈut/
US/pəlˈut/
Syllables & stress
pol - lute (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (lute)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: pollute
- 3rd Person Singular: pollutes
- Present Participle: polluting
- Past: polluted
Word family
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.