as in contaminated
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in polluted
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
supplies of meat that had been defiled by maggots
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violated
to treat (a sacred place or object) shamefully or with great disrespect
art conservators were careful not to do anything that might defile the holy relic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiled
Adjective
-
The freeze and thaw cycle of the area was causing the contaminated material to come to the surface, Nadel said.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2025 -
This has forced many families to collect water from unsafe and contaminated sources, increasing the risk of cholera and other deadly waterborne diseases, especially in overcrowded neighborhoods and displacement sites.—
Maryanne Murray Buechner,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
The plaintiffs seek a declaratory judgment that the commission, by approving the plans, has violated their fundamental rights.—
Amy Green,
Orlando Sentinel,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Months later, the Department of Justice concluded that five Texas juvenile detention centers violated children's constitutional and civil rights.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA TODAY,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
That number includes children, who represent 16 percent of those poisoned and 27 percent of all fatalities.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Apr. 2025
-
And guess what, hospitals are seeing cases of vitamin A toxicity — of kids poisoned by being fed too many vitamins instead of being vaccinated.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
According to the company, 99.5% of the tainted butter was recovered before reaching consumers.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
10 Apr. 2025
-
One new initiative the researchers have undertaken is to focus on items in the collection with histories that include some contact with tainted dealers.—
Graham Bowley,
New York Times,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
This anti-establishment mindset translates to denim with dirty shades of indigo, impure neutrals and green casts, accented with pops of fiery red and pale yellow.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
30 May 2025
-
According to some Buddhist scriptures, during Maya’s pregnancy the future Buddha never actually touched her womb, which was considered impure in early Indian Buddhism.—
Megan Bryson,
The Conversation,
6 May 2025
Adjective
-
Several areas had debris and unclean surfaces, including the three-compartment sink and areas behind the ice machine and under the prep sink.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado,
Sacbee.com,
4 June 2025
-
Full Story Benefits of boiling water with dirty fuels outweigh the risk in areas with unclean resources: Study Boiling unclean water in many regions of the world results in air pollution from burning dirty fuels, but the benefits of doing so usually outweigh the risks, a new study has found.—
Rachel Frazin,
The Hill,
13 May 2025
Adjective
-
The law specifically spells out heating problems, pest infestations and filthy conditions as among the issues that could require a court’s intervention.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
30 May 2025
-
Detectives have criminally charged the owner of nearly 50 Belgian Malinois dogs that were found trapped together in a cramped, filthy Queens apartment, police said Wednesday.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2025
Adjective
-
In its time open, fueled by fans of its blackened mahi and buttery lobster rolls, owner Mike Smith has expanded his footprint, moving into a larger stall in the popular food hall — which has allowed for a menu expansion, as well.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
Orlando Sentinel,
6 Dec. 2022
-
There are no glamorous furnishings — just a French window, its blackened panes suggesting the dark of night.—
Christopher Knight,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Oct. 2022
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Defiled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiled. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share