pollution
noun
pol·lu·tion
pə-ˈlü-shən
1
a
: the action of polluting
especially
: the action of making an environment unsuitable or unsafe for use by introducing chemical or manufacturing waste
Abandoned mining and milling operations are already implicated in pollution of the river with toxic and radioactive waste products … —Larry Brown
b
: the condition of being polluted
A three-year study … has indicated that the lake already is suffering from severe pollution and that any additional development will exacerbate it.—Anthony DePalma
2
: something that pollutes
especially
: something (such as chemical or manufacturing waste) that makes an environment unsuitable or unsafe for use
tested the levels of pollution [=pollutants] in the water
Cite this Entry
“Pollution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pollution. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.
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