DEFILES Synonyms: 132 Similar and Opposite Words

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

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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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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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

Through the ball’s circular shape and its lack of color, the painting knowingly winks at Piet Mondrian’s Composition 10 in Black and White (1915), then defiles the Dutch modernist’s aesthetic purity. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026 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

Noun

This 150-acre Clayton County preserve sits near shopping centers and busy roads, but its trails wind through woodlands, ravines and ponds that feel worlds away from metro Atlanta.

— Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Many more were imperiled by muddy water racing through the narrow ravines, sparking frantic rescue missions for dozens.

— Holly Yan, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 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 their eyes, this policy violates their First Amendment rights, and the Sheley's have joined the federal case challenging the state's requirements.

— Chierstin Roth, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
While a judge recently ruled that the question had to stay on the ballot, the court has not ruled on whether the deal violates the city’s own charter, which requires a fair market-value proposal.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of violates

Noun

The last major blaze to sweep through the area was the 2018 Woolsey Fire, meaning brush in most of those canyons has not been cleared for about eight years.

— Tom Tapp, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
By morning, firefighting aircraft were back in the air dropping water on the Bryson fire in Malibu while the sound of generators purchased by outage-weary residents and business owners buzzed through the canyons.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of canyons

Noun

The Ivy League college where fraternities throw parties in towering mansions and students weave between deep gorges on their way to class is being rocked over the handling of rape allegations from 2024.

— Grey Battle, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026
Cliffs teeter at 1,640 feet, before tumbling down in a flurry of vineyards and walking trails to the rushing rivers and gorges of Sil and Miño.

— Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of gorges

Noun

On Friday, temperatures in the valleys and along the coast will be in the upper 80s and 90s.

— Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
The most extreme conditions are expected in the Ventura and Los Angeles County valleys and mountains, particularly Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks, and Simi Valley.

— Simmone Shah, Time, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of valleys

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“Defiles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiles. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of defiles

noun

verb

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