MEANING
1. To introduce harmful or unwanted substances into air, water, soil, or another environment.
2. To impair the integrity of something through a corrupting influence.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- pollute water
- pollute the air
On the page
The ruptured tank polluted the water beneath the settlement.
Fumes polluted the air while the fans continued to turn.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- pollute
- Past tense
- polluted
- Past participle
- polluted
- Present participle
- polluting
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- pollute
- Present continuous
- am/is/are polluting
- Present perfect
- have/has polluted
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been polluting
- Past
- polluted
- Past continuous
- was/were polluting
- Past perfect
- had polluted
- Past perfect continuous
- had been polluting
- Future
- will pollute
- Future continuous
- will be polluting
- Future perfect
- will have polluted
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been polluting
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Explore related collections
Usage notes
Primary category: horror. Forms: pollute; pollutes; polluted; polluted; polluting Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: pollutes.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.