# pollute

/pəˈɫut/ (US) · /pəlˈuːt/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pollute
Updated: 2026-05-20

## Definition

to make something dirty or harmful by adding bad substances to it. You use this when talking about making the air, water, or soil unhealthy.

For teachers: to contaminate or make impure by the addition of harmful or undesirable substances. Transitive — requires a direct object representing the medium being contaminated.

## Examples

- Factories often pollute the local river.
- The government is trying to find new ways to prevent companies from polluting the atmosphere with carbon dioxide.
- While natural processes can sometimes pollute the environment, human industrial activity remains the primary source of toxic waste in modern ecosystems.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.