1
as in desecration
an act of great disrespect shown to God or to sacred ideas, people, or things
for two centuries the Christian monasteries in England suffered defilements at the hands of Viking invaders
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in contamination
something that is or that makes impure
souvenir shops, observation towers, and other tacky defilements on Civil War battlefields that should be considered hallowed ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defilement
Noun
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Yet Jesus becomes angered by the desecration of the temple and begins tipping over the merchants' tables in the holy place while wielding a righteous whip.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
3 May 2025 -
In the first of thirteen live, three-hour shows (with Nelle sitting in the studio audience), the thirty-five-year-old Reagan, accompanied by four Black actors, dramatically reenacted Klan cross-burnings, beatings and shootings, and the desecration of synagogues.—
Richard D. Mahoney,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Three lots of a drug designed to treat various urinary tract infections have been recalled because the white round tablets might have black spots from microbial contamination.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
5 June 2025
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Inspectors said Trump’s club was out of compliance with many rules regarding food be protected from contamination.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
4 June 2025
Noun
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Those participating in races can receive up to a $250 fine and/or up to 30 days in jail on the first violation, up to a $500 fine and/or up to 60 days in jail for the second violation, and up to a $1,000 fine and/or and up to six months in jail for a third.—
Alecia Taylor,
Kansas City Star,
7 June 2025
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Consequences: Recognize and reward positive behaviors and address violations through appropriate accountability measures.—
Stephen M. Paskoff,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Consumers are advised to look for faucets compliant with NSF/ANSI Standard 61, which sets limits for the presence of lead and other contaminants in drinking water systems, according to the CPSC.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
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In both the Palisades and Altadena, as soon as the fires were contained, the water companies spent a full week flushing the water lines in an effort to prevent any contaminants from the fires from settling on the bottom of pipes or penetrating into chemically permeable PVC, Olivares said.—
Ashley Belanger – May 27,
ArsTechnica,
27 May 2025
Noun
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In a mix of fascination, irreverence, fandom and possible blasphemy, video compilations of cardinals with Charli XCX soundtracks have popped up online.—
Emma Bubola,
New York Times,
7 May 2025
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Five Christian groups filed complaints to Indonesian police alleging blasphemy, leading to Thalisa’s arrest on October 8.—
Jack Guy,
CNN,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Many of these pollutants can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to oxidative stress that can damage cells and tissues, ultimately resulting in health problems.—
Paul McClure
June 03,
New Atlas,
3 June 2025
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Older homes had natural air leakage that allowed indoor pollutants to escape and be replaced by fresh outdoor air.—
Brynn Cooksey,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
Noun
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The film's themes of corruption and the brave whistleblowers who expose it feel particularly apt in this current moment.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
5 June 2025
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Hochul chose him after his predecessor, Benjamin Brian, resigned amid charges of corruption, which were eventually dropped.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
4 June 2025
Noun
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This is culture-making in critical condition, because even the fact that these are static industries is a version of sacrilege.—
Harmony Holiday,
Harpers Magazine,
29 Apr. 2025
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Such a transformation would represent an irrevocable loss: a profound sacrilege not only to the city’s rich history but also to the cultural legacy for the future generations.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
23 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Defilement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defilement. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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