pollute
gb/pəlˈut/ us/pəlˈut/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
make the environment dirty or harmful
To make the environment dirty or dangerous.
Usage pattern:
pollute [air/water/land/place] (with [waste/chemicals/smoke])
Common mistake:
Use a direct object: say “pollute the river” (or “pollute the river with chemicals”), not “pollute to the river.”
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.)
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
Themes
environment
|climate
|public_health
|science
Examples
- Car exhaust continues to pollute the air in many large cities.
- The factory was fined for polluting the river with untreated waste.
- Plastic trash can pollute the ocean for decades.
Learner examples
- Smoke can pollute the air.
- Factories can pollute rivers.
Verb
B2
action
2
contaminate a substance or supply
To make something like water or food unsafe.
Usage pattern:
pollute [water supply/food/sample] (with [bacteria/chemicals])
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.
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.)
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
Themes
health
|food
|science
|public_health
Examples
- Runoff from the mine polluted nearby drinking water.
- A leak could pollute the reservoir and affect thousands of homes.
- If the container isn’t sealed properly, it can pollute the sample.
Learner examples
- Chemicals can pollute drinking water.
Verb
formal
C1
action
3
spoil something morally or mentally
To make something less pure or good by adding bad influences.
Usage pattern:
pollute [mind/debate/discourse/culture] (with [hatred/misinformation])
Common mistake:
This figurative use is usually formal; in casual speech people often say “ruin,” “mess up,” or “poison.”
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.)
Collocations
pollute the mind
|pollute public discourse
|pollute the debate
|pollute the conversation
|pollute the culture
|pollute the internet with misinformation
|polluted thinking
Themes
society
|ethics
|communication
|media
Examples
- They argued that hate speech pollutes public discourse.
- She tried not to let bitterness pollute her memories of the trip.
- Misinformation can pollute the debate and distract from the facts.
Learner examples
- Lies can pollute the 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.