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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Simply put, their acts are a desecration of the pursuit of knowledge.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
18 Mar. 2025 -
To Michael Hirsch, the desecration of hundreds of graves was a shanda, a shame, a ghoulish crime.—
Maria Cramer,
New York Times,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Rinsing salmon can potentially increase the risk of contamination, says Dr. Farzad.—
Stacey Lastoe,
Southern Living,
8 Apr. 2025
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But for one inspection that ended in December 2022, the FDA issued a citation that noted concerns related to contamination prevention, worker hygiene and the handling of consumer complaints, documents say.—
Heather Vogell,
ProPublica,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
His attorneys and family have rejected the government’s claims, calling his detention unjust and a violation of due process.—
Hanna Park,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
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Executive director Nick Turner told the Bangor Daily News the show hoped to have other characters on stage reference the two Black characters the musical is missing without showing the pair, but was warned that altering the musical’s licensed script would constitute a contract violation .—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The study, recently published in the journal Environmental Pollution, has pinpointed mining operations in the Pacific Northwest as the source of contaminants.—
Jack Knudson,
Discover Magazine,
2 Apr. 2025
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State lawmakers also set aside $15 million in grant money to help pay for ridding buildings of contaminants such as asbestos and razing dozens of structures.—
Mike Nolan,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Here, the government is forbidden from engaging in viewpoint discrimination, banned from imposing blasphemy restrictions, and prohibited from banning undesirable political parties.—
The Editors,
National Review,
18 Feb. 2025
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These ranged from a high-scale corruption case to allegations of blasphemy and terrorism, all of which Khan and his supporters vehemently rejected.—
Tom O'Connor,
Newsweek,
27 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Wellness benefits: Purifies indoor air Low-maintenance care Reduces harmful pollutants 9.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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Biofuels still produce pollutants, but some 98% of the city’s construction sites were free of fossil fuels in 2023.—
Troy Aidan Sambajon,
The Christian Science Monitor,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In short, the Chicago area has a history of red-light camera corruption.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2025
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White seems to like bringing back the one generally decent woman, for purposes of corruption.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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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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For many liberals and radicals, beginning with Lord Byron, Elgin was a vandal who had committed sacrilege.—
Ralph Leonard,
The Atlantic,
4 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Defilement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defilement. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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