POLLUTANTS Synonyms: 31 Similar and Opposite Words

pollutants

noun

plural of pollutant

as in contaminants

something that is or that makes impure filtered the pollutants out of the water

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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 pollutants The city said in a statement that the concentration of pollutants averaged 196 micrograms per cubic meter, which is considered an unhealthy level way above the normal range of about 3 to 9. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 If approved, the permit will also require monitoring of the water flow, temperature, present or expected pollutants in the sourcewater, expected pollutants in the wastewater, and additional pollutants associated with steam electric power generation. — Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 None of the restaurants with all-electric kitchens had excessive pollutants or heat. — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 During sunny and warm summer days, the atmosphere becomes incredibly stable, Macaday said, and in turn traps pollutants from car exhausts, ground-level ozone and pollen in the bowl. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026 Wild salmon, for example, may sound healthier, but its liver, kidneys, intestines, head and skin store more chemical pollutants than the rest of the fish. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026 Ozone, which is made up of three oxygen atoms, forms when emissions of other pollutants such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides from fossil-fuel burning or wildfires mix with sunlight and heat. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2026 Their presence raises concerns that a system designed to salvage nutrients can also recycle pollutants. — Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026 It’s packed with antioxidants to fend off environmental stressors such as pollutants that otherwise cause signs of aging, reduce puffiness (thank you, natural caffeine), and curb excess sebum. — Sarah Han, Allure, 24 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pollutants

Noun

The upscale outdoor mall survived the Palisades fire, but needed refurbishment to eliminate any potential contaminants from the blaze.

— Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
In an interview, Village Manager Michael Braiman explained that, when firefighters return from a fire, department vehicles, equipment and gear can be covered with contaminants.

— Andis Robeznieks, Chicago Tribune, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of contaminants

Noun

In one of the heaviest contaminations of TCE and PCE documented, thousands of soldiers and their families were exposed to the solvents at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune from 1953 to 1987.

— WUFT News, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026
And the Food and Drug Administration is also investigating contaminations that may be tied to a different outbreak.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 24 July 2026

Definition of contaminations

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pollutant

pollutants

pollute

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“Pollutants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pollutants. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of pollutants

noun

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