1
as in desecration
an act of great disrespect shown to God or to sacred ideas, people, or things
for two centuries the Christian monasteries in England suffered defilements at the hands of Viking invaders
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in contamination
something that is or that makes impure
souvenir shops, observation towers, and other tacky defilements on Civil War battlefields that should be considered hallowed ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defilement
Noun
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Yet Jesus becomes angered by the desecration of the temple and begins tipping over the merchants' tables in the holy place while wielding a righteous whip.—
Erin Jensen, USA Today, 3 May 2025
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In the first of thirteen live, three-hour shows (with Nelle sitting in the studio audience), the thirty-five-year-old Reagan, accompanied by four Black actors, dramatically reenacted Klan cross-burnings, beatings and shootings, and the desecration of synagogues.—
Noun
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Heed posted warnings Take signs about swimming risks and possible contamination seriously.—
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Six schools have closed since the start of the year due to lead contamination, and only two have reopened.—
Noun
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In the meantime, the city has received several reports of property violations in recent years on 925 Grand: piles of bird droppings, falling debris, people entering through unsecured entrances.—
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Here are the inspection scores and violations for restaurants within the city limits of Arlington for May 4th - May 17th, 2025 A score of 100 is a perfect score and 70 is considered to be extremely poor.—
Noun
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Masks and disposable head-to-toe coverall suits act as a barrier against the dangerous contaminants.—
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The team aims to identify solutions to mitigate or eliminate environmental contaminants and risks through not only physical building improvements, but also by providing families and property owners and managers with tools and resources to create healthier spaces.—
Noun
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Pakistan's Christians, barely 2 percent of the population, face lynchings over false accusations of blasphemy, with 2024 seeing churches burned and families displaced.—
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For this theme to have been chosen only after the tragic passing of pioneering fashion icon, long-time Vogue editor-at-large, and unmistakable dandy, Andre Leon Talley, is a sort of blasphemy.—
Noun
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Research has found strong associations between exposure to air pollutants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, indoor toxins like formaldehyde and higher cancer risk — particularly for lung, breast, prostate, and even melanoma.—
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The data also don’t include airborne pollutants — including automobile exhaust — which could also contribute to the disease.—
Noun
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The series is centered on organized crime and corruption in Atlantic City during the Prohibition era, using real-life characters like Al Capone, Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky.—
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In 2014, then-Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon was arrested and pleaded guilty in federal court to public corruption charges after accepting more than $50,000 in bribes while in office.—
Noun
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Such a transformation would represent an irrevocable loss: a profound sacrilege not only to the city’s rich history but also to the cultural legacy for the future generations.—
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For many liberals and radicals, beginning with Lord Byron, Elgin was a vandal who had committed sacrilege.—
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Cite this Entry
“Defilement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defilement. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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