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
Relevance
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
as in contaminated
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of defiled
Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
The seafood area’s ice machine was similarly defiled.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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
The seafood area’s ice machine was similarly defiled.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiled
Verb
-
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, women in cobalt-mining regions have reported reproductive-health concerns such as miscarriages and birth defects; cobalt mining has also polluted croplands.—
Scott W. Stern,
The Atlantic,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Directed by series veteran David Silverman, the movie’s plot saw Springfield being confined under a massive glass dome after Homer accidentally polluted the town’s lake.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Last week, retired Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge James Emerson released his 42-page advisory opinion that preceded the board’s vote, finding that Corpus violated conflict-of-interest laws and retaliated against deputies who challenged her authority.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
16 Oct. 2025
-
On October 7th, a federal judge agreed that ICE had violated the terms of the decree.—
Geraldo Cadava,
New Yorker,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
There are systems in place to help address the issue of contaminated medications.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Consumers who have received the affected HelloFresh meals are urged not to consume the contaminated product and to throw them away immediately.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
One of the jurors said deliberations were poisoned by a belief among some jurors that a member of the panel had been paid off by Weinstein or his lawyers.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
-
His family believed he had been poisoned by the spirit, according to the Tennessee State Museum.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Trump’s order also directs administration officials to terminate or revoke visas if foreign nationals are found to have desecrated the flag.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
17 Sep. 2025
-
When Melanson failed to comply with Lino’s instructions, Lino allegedly beat the older man with a baseball bat and then desecrated his corpse.—
Matthew Medsger,
Boston Herald,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Brazil’s Health Ministry is warning people to avoid cocktails after tainted liquor killed at least one person, blinded others and fueled a nationwide panic.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Brigadier General Edwin Urrego, commander of the Metropolitan Police, initially told local outlets that seven people had been found dead as a result of consuming the tainted liquor.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
France has Europe’s largest population of Muslims, over 6 million, for whom pigs are considered impure.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Even the most natural parts of many women’s lives — such as menstruation, clothing or even breastfeeding — can be framed as being impure or as moral transgressions.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Katadyn BeFree Water Filter Bottle Clean water is non-negotiable when exploring the backcountry—one sip of unclean water can have life-threatening consequences.—
Karthika Gupta,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Suppose the Byzantine code comes back unclean.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defiled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiled. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share