defile

1 of 3

verb (1)

de·​file di-ˈfī(-ə)l How to pronounce defile (audio)
dē-
defiled; defiling
Synonyms of defilenext

transitive verb

: to make unclean or impure: such as
a
: to corrupt the purity or perfection of : debase
the countryside defiled by billboards
b
: to violate the chastity or virginity of : deflower
c
: to make physically unclean especially with something unpleasant or contaminating
boots defiled with blood
… I had never allowed anyone to smoke in the truck. Drunk as I was, I knew that I was betraying something by allowing him to defile the truck's interior.—Patrick Moore
d
: to violate the sanctity of : desecrate
defile a sanctuary
went to jail for costuming themselves in the American flag and thus defiling it—James R. Gaines
e
: sully, dishonor
defile his reputation
defilement
di-ˈfī(-ə)l-mənt How to pronounce defile (audio)
dē-
noun
defiler
di-ˈfī-lər How to pronounce defile (audio)
dē-
noun

defile

2 of 3

noun

de·​file di-ˈfī(-ə)l How to pronounce defile (audio) ˈdē-ˌfī(-ə)l How to pronounce defile (audio)
geology
: a narrow passage (as between hills, rocks, or cliffs) : gorge entry 1
… come to us from a narrow defile in the Pennine Alps between Switzerland and Italy, a place called the Great St. Bernard Pass.—Michael Olmert

defile

3 of 3

verb (2)

de·​file di-ˈfī(-ə)l How to pronounce defile (audio) ˈdē-ˌfī(-ə)l How to pronounce defile (audio)
defiled; defiling

intransitive verb

military
: to march off in a line
… breaks out into a brave and glorious description of the forces, as they defiled through the principal gate of the city …—Washington Irving

Did you know?

The verb defile (unrelated to this verb defile or its related noun) has a number of uses that are all variations on the idea of making something unclean or impure. These meanings echo the word’s Middle English and Anglo-French ancestry, where defilement is connected to figurative and literal trampling. The ultimate Anglo-French root is fuller, or foller, which means “to trample under foot,” “to oppress”—or literally, “to full.” Full in this case is a technical term: when you full woolen cloth you shrink and thicken it by moistening, heating, and pressing it. Originally, the pressing part was done by trampling it with the feet.

Synonyms

Verb (1)

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for defile

contaminate, taint, pollute, defile mean to make impure or unclean.

contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source.

water contaminated by industrial wastes

taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination.

tainted meat
a politician's tainted reputation

pollute, sometimes interchangeable with contaminate, distinctively may imply that the process which begins with contamination is complete and that what was pure or clean has been made foul, poisoned, or filthy.

the polluted waters of the river

defile implies befouling of what could or should have been kept clean and pure or held sacred and commonly suggests violation or desecration.

defile a hero's memory with slanderous innuendo

Examples of defile in a Sentence

Verb (1) supplies of meat that had been defiled by maggots art conservators were careful not to do anything that might defile the holy relic Noun the cattle, once they were cornered in the defile, were quickly rounded up
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
What’s curious, then, is not Trump’s eagerness to degrade us, but his uncontrollable urge to defile himself and his office. —Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025 Friday’s incident isn’t the first time the church has been defiled by a member of the public in recent years. —Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
From here, the path plunges into mixed woods, tracing the stream into the narrow defile guarded by soaring cliffs. —Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 1 Aug. 2025 Once RiRi and the baby made a ceremonious second entrance to the show, the ‘defile’ finally began at 10:35. —Roxanne Robinson, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for defile

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, alteration (influenced by filen to defile, from Old English fȳlan) of defoilen to trample, defile, from Anglo-French defoiller, defuler, to trample, from de- + fuller, foller to trample, literally, to full — more at full

Noun

French défilé, from past participle of défiler — see defile entry 3

Verb (2)

French défiler, from dé- de- + filer to move in a column — more at file

First Known Use

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1685, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1705, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of defile was in the 15th century

Rhymes for defile

See All Rhymes for defile

Browse Nearby Words

defilade
defile
defilingly
See all Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Defile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defile. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

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Kids Definition

defile

1 of 2 verb
de·​file di-ˈfī(ə)l How to pronounce defile (audio)
defiled; defiling
1
: to make filthy : dirty
stored grain defiled by rats
2
: to corrupt the purity or perfection of
defile buildings with posters
3
: desecrate
a shrine defiled by the invaders
4
: dishonor entry 2 sense 1
defiled our good name
defilement
-fī(ə)l-mənt How to pronounce defile (audio)
noun
defiler
-ˈfī-lər How to pronounce defile (audio)
noun

defile

2 of 2 noun
de·​file di-ˈfī(ə)l How to pronounce defile (audio) ˈdē-ˌfīl How to pronounce defile (audio)
: a narrow passage or gorge

Legal Definition

defile

transitive verb
de·​file di-ˈfīl How to pronounce defile (audio)
defiled; defiling
: to dishonor by physical acts (as trampling, dirtying, or mutilating)
defiling the flag
defilement noun
defiler noun

More from Merriam-Webster on defile

Nglish: Translation of defile for Spanish Speakers

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