What does "pollution" mean?
Physical contamination, now especially the contamination of the environment by harmful substances, or by disruptive levels of noise, light etc.
Pollution
/pəˈljuːʃən/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Physical contamination, now especially the contamination of the environment by harmful substances, or by disruptive levels of noise, light etc.
- Grammar: pollution is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: contamination, abomination, abuse, abuse of office.
- Useful contrasts: environmental effort, environmental protection, ablution.
- Usage evidence: Because of the problem of air pollution, the bicycle may some day replace the automobile.
How to use "pollution"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pollution" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pollution" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pollution" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pollution" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pollution" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "contamination" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pollution", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Physical contamination, now especially the contamination of the environment by harmful substances, or by disruptive levels of noise, light etc. uncountable, usually
"Pollution levels are almost always higher in cities rather than the countryside, what with the cars, industry and so on."
- 2 the act of contaminating or polluting; including (either intentionally or accidentally) unwanted substances or factors wordnet
- 3 Something that pollutes; a pollutant. uncountable, usually
- 4 the state of being polluted wordnet
- 5 The desecration of something holy or sacred; defilement, profanation. archaic, uncountable, usually
"Men who attend the Altar, and should most / Endevor Peace: thir strife pollution brings / Upon the Temple it self […]."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 undesirable state of the natural environment being contaminated with harmful substances as a consequence of human activities wordnet
- 7 The ejaculation of semen outside of sexual intercourse, especially a nocturnal emission. archaic, uncountable, usually
"When occasioned by a voluntary act it is called, simply, Pollution or Masturbation (q.v.); when excited, during sleep, by lascivious dreams, it takes the name Noctur'nal pollution, Exoneiro'sis, Oneirog'mos, Oneirog'onos, Gonorrhœ'a dormien'tium, G. oneirog'onos, G. Vera, G. libidino'sa, Proflu'vium Sem'inis, Spermatorrhœ'a, Paronir'ia salax, Night pollution."
- 8 Moral or spiritual corruption; impurity, degradation, defilement. uncountable, usually
"She condescended to wait on them at Pemberley, in spite of that pollution which its woods had received."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Because of the problem of air pollution, the bicycle may some day replace the automobile."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pollution"?
Common synonyms include: contamination, abomination, abuse, abuse of office, adulteration, air.
How do you use "pollution" in a sentence?
Because of the problem of air pollution, the bicycle may some day replace the automobile.
How do you pronounce "pollution"?
Pronounced /pəˈljuːʃən/.
Etymology
From Middle English pollucioun, pollucion (“desecration, impurity”), from Anglo-Norman pollutiun, Middle French pollution, pollucion, and their source, post-classical Latin pollūtiō (“defilement, desecration; nocturnal emission”) (4th century), from the participial stem of polluō (“to soil, defile, contaminate”), from por- (“before”) + -luō (“to smear”), related to lutum (“mud”) and luēs (“filth”). Compare Ancient Greek λῦμα (lûma, “filth, dirt, disgrace”) and λῦμαξ (lûmax, “rubbish, refuse”), Old Irish loth (“mud, dirt”), Lithuanian lutynas (“pool, puddle”).