pollute
gb/pəlˈut/ us/pəlˈut/
B2
Engels
Betekenissen
0 betekenissen
Werkwoord
B2
action
1
make the environment dirty or harmful
To make the environment dirty or dangerous.
Gebruikspatroon:
pollute [air/water/land/place] (with [waste/chemicals/smoke])
Veelgemaakte fout:
Use a direct object: say “pollute the river” (or “pollute the river with chemicals”), not “pollute to the river.”
Synoniemen
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.)
Antoniemen
clean (Remove dirt or harmful substances.)
|
purify (Make something pure or free of contaminants.)
Woordcombinaties
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
Thema's
environment
|climate
|public_health
|science
Voorbeelden
- 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.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- Smoke can pollute the air.
- Factories can pollute rivers.
Werkwoord
B2
action
2
contaminate a substance or supply
To make something like water or food unsafe.
Gebruikspatroon:
pollute [water supply/food/sample] (with [bacteria/chemicals])
Veelgemaakte fout:
In everyday English, “contaminate” is often preferred for food, medical samples, and lab work, but “pollute” is also used, especially in news reporting.
Synoniemen
contaminate (Most common for substances, food, and lab contexts.)
|
taint (Often used for food/drink; suggests spoilage or bad quality.)
Antoniemen
sterilize (Remove germs from something (especially equipment or surfaces).)
|
decontaminate (Remove contamination from a substance or area.)
Woordcombinaties
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
Thema's
health
|food
|science
|public_health
Voorbeelden
- 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.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- Chemicals can pollute drinking water.
Werkwoord
formal
C1
action
3
spoil something morally or mentally
To make something less pure or good by adding bad influences.
Gebruikspatroon:
pollute [mind/debate/discourse/culture] (with [hatred/misinformation])
Veelgemaakte fout:
This figurative use is usually formal; in casual speech people often say “ruin,” “mess up,” or “poison.”
Synoniemen
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.)
Antoniemen
cleanse (Remove bad influences or harmful material (often figurative).)
|
purify (Make something morally or mentally cleaner or more wholesome.)
Woordcombinaties
pollute the mind
|pollute public discourse
|pollute the debate
|pollute the conversation
|pollute the culture
|pollute the internet with misinformation
|polluted thinking
Thema's
society
|ethics
|communication
|media
Voorbeelden
- 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.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- Lies can pollute the discussion.
Grammatica
Lemmavorm
pollute
IPA
GB/pəlˈut/
US/pəlˈut/
Lettergrepen en klemtoon
pol - lute (2 lettergrepen)
Stress on 2nd syllable (lute)
Woordvormen
Verb
- Base: pollute
- 3rd Person Singular: pollutes
- Present Participle: polluting
- Past: polluted
Woordfamilie
Uitdrukkingen
Er zijn nog geen uitdrukkingen gekoppeld aan dit item.