defiles 1 of 2

noun

plural of defile
as in ravines
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage the cattle, once they were cornered in the defile, were quickly rounded up

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defiles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of defile
1
as in pollutes
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable supplies of meat that had been defiled by maggots

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2
as in violates
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

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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 defiles
Verb
Moral and intellectual descent is inherent in a political project that sets out to undermine liberal democracy, reject the inclusive egalitarianism of modern America, find enemies to demonize, and heroize a leader who defiles common decency. — George Packer, The Atlantic, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiles
  1. ravines
  2. pollutes
  3. violates
  4. canyons
  5. gorges
  6. valleys
Noun
  • Lake Overstreet has about five miles of multi-use trails through live oaks (a northern Florida staple), hills and ravines surrounding a secluded 144-acre lake.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Rising from near the Aegean coast to 9,573-foot Mytikas, Greece’s highest peak, the mountain encompasses forests, ravines, limestone cliffs, and alpine habitat with unusually rich plant diversity.
    — Bailey Berg, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of ravines
Verb
  • The usual analogy is that generative AI and LLMs are akin to a factory that pollutes local waters.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The Chenab River runs red with blood while poison pollutes the five rivers of Punjab and spreads through the fertile soil.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
Definition of pollutes
Verb
  • In the lawsuit Friday over Golden State Wind, California argues the deal violates the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which gives California input into offshore leasing decisions.
    — Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • This violates right-to-delete laws, and worse, hackers can reverse-engineer those leftover AI files to steal sensitive health data.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of violates
Noun
  • Officials briefly closed a portion of the scenic coastal route Thursday afternoon as firefighters scrambled to keep the flames from running through canyons.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Los Alamos, not far from Santa Fe, sits at the foot of Pajarito Mountain in a land of canyons and mesas.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of canyons
Noun
  • The mother and daughter are among 90 Americans missing after the devastating landslide and flood, which tore through steep mountain gorges near the Nepal-China border and surged downstream along a river, wiping out entire villages.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Nepal's mountainous terrain, dotted with deep valleys and narrow gorges, makes rescue and relief operations challenging.
    — Arshad R. Zargar, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of gorges
Noun
  • The rupture released a torrent of ice, mud, rock, and water that built up and then burst through the region’s narrow valleys and waterways.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The rocks and melted water suddenly swelled the rivers in the valleys below, causing torrents of water that swept buildings, bridges and earth downstream in Tibet and Nepal.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of valleys

Browse Nearby Words

defilements
defiles
defiling
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Cite this Entry

“Defiles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiles. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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