DEFILE Synonyms: 132 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'defile' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of defile are contaminate , pollute , and taint . While all these words mean "to make impure or unclean," defile implies befouling of what could or should have been kept clean and pure or held sacred and commonly suggests violation or desecration. // defile a hero's memory with slanderous innuendo

Q: When is 'contaminate' a more appropriate choice than 'defile'?

The meanings of contaminate and defile largely overlap; however, contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source. // water contaminated by industrial wastes

Q: When is it sensible to use 'pollute' instead of 'defile'?

While in some cases nearly identical to defile , pollute , sometimes interchangeable with contaminate , distinctively may imply that the process which begins with contamination is complete and that what was pure or clean has been made foul, poisoned, or filthy. // the polluted waters of the river

Q: When could 'taint' be used to replace 'defile'?

The synonyms taint and defile are sometimes interchangeable, but taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination. // tainted meat // a politician's tainted reputation

defile 1 of 2

noun

di-ˈfī(-ə)l

Definition of defile next

as in canyon

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

defile

2 of 2

verb

di-ˈfī(-ə)l

as in to pollute

to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable supplies of meat that had been defiled by maggots

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to violate

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb defile contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of defile are contaminate, pollute, and taint. While all these words mean "to make impure or unclean," defile implies befouling of what could or should have been kept clean and pure or held sacred and commonly suggests violation or desecration.

defile a hero's memory with slanderous innuendo

When is contaminate a more appropriate choice than defile?

The meanings of contaminate and defile largely overlap; however, contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source.

water contaminated by industrial wastes

When is it sensible to use pollute instead of defile?

While in some cases nearly identical to defile, pollute, sometimes interchangeable with contaminate, distinctively may imply that the process which begins with contamination is complete and that what was pure or clean has been made foul, poisoned, or filthy.

the polluted waters of the river

When could taint be used to replace defile?

The synonyms taint and defile are sometimes interchangeable, but taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination.

tainted meat

a politician's tainted reputation

Examples 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 defile

Noun

Between Evergreen and Conifer Maxwell Creek slides north through a trailside defile, trembles through boulders in watery segments, and slips over black granite blocks in shimmery sheets at Maxwell Falls. —

Danika Worthington, The Know, 19 June 2020 The 27-year-old Woodbridge man was arrested and charged with abduction with intent to defile and burglary. —

Ria Manglapus and Lisa M. Bolton, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2019

Verb

Further, for many societies (and, having interviewed women who have been tortured and women who bear witness to the torture of men, for me) there is something uniquely disturbing about tales of women being defiled, beaten, and debased. —

Nimmi Gowrinathan, Foreign Affairs, 14 Dec. 2014 With the chaos of his homelife leaving him on autopilot, Frank cares little about being caught defiling the library; his aloofness is disconcerting, especially coming from someone so young. —

Caroline Madden, Vulture, 8 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for defile

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defile

Noun

One of the coolest hikes within the park is Mosaic Canyon, which leads hikers into a narrow canyon with smooth, steep walls.

Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 2024
To dig deeper into the park, consider trekking through The Narrows, a slot canyon where the walls of Zion Canyon rise 1,000 feet up while pinching to 30 feet wide at certain points.

Graham Averill, Outside Online, 24 Nov. 2024