pollute
gb/pəlˈut/ us/pəlˈut/
B2
Inglés
Acepciones
0 acepciones
Verbo
B2
action
1
make the environment dirty or harmful
To make the environment dirty or dangerous.
Patrón de uso:
pollute [air/water/land/place] (with [waste/chemicals/smoke])
Error frecuente:
Use a direct object: say “pollute the river” (or “pollute the river with chemicals”), not “pollute to the river.”
Sinónimos
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.)
Antónimos
clean (Remove dirt or harmful substances.)
|
purify (Make something pure or free of contaminants.)
Colocaciones
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
Temas
environment
|climate
|public_health
|science
Ejemplos
- 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.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- Smoke can pollute the air.
- Factories can pollute rivers.
Verbo
B2
action
2
contaminate a substance or supply
To make something like water or food unsafe.
Patrón de uso:
pollute [water supply/food/sample] (with [bacteria/chemicals])
Error frecuente:
In everyday English, “contaminate” is often preferred for food, medical samples, and lab work, but “pollute” is also used, especially in news reporting.
Sinónimos
contaminate (Most common for substances, food, and lab contexts.)
|
taint (Often used for food/drink; suggests spoilage or bad quality.)
Antónimos
sterilize (Remove germs from something (especially equipment or surfaces).)
|
decontaminate (Remove contamination from a substance or area.)
Colocaciones
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
Temas
health
|food
|science
|public_health
Ejemplos
- 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.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- Chemicals can pollute drinking water.
Verbo
formal
C1
action
3
spoil something morally or mentally
To make something less pure or good by adding bad influences.
Patrón de uso:
pollute [mind/debate/discourse/culture] (with [hatred/misinformation])
Error frecuente:
This figurative use is usually formal; in casual speech people often say “ruin,” “mess up,” or “poison.”
Sinónimos
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.)
Antónimos
cleanse (Remove bad influences or harmful material (often figurative).)
|
purify (Make something morally or mentally cleaner or more wholesome.)
Colocaciones
pollute the mind
|pollute public discourse
|pollute the debate
|pollute the conversation
|pollute the culture
|pollute the internet with misinformation
|polluted thinking
Temas
society
|ethics
|communication
|media
Ejemplos
- 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.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- Lies can pollute the discussion.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
pollute
AFI
GB/pəlˈut/
US/pəlˈut/
Sílabas y acento
pol - lute (2 sílabas)
Stress on 2nd syllable (lute)
Formas de la palabra
Verb
- Base: pollute
- 3rd Person Singular: pollutes
- Present Participle: polluting
- Past: polluted
Familia de palabras
Expresiones
Todavía no hay expresiones vinculadas a esta entrada.