pollutant
noun
pol·lut·ant
pə-ˈlü-tᵊnt 
plural pollutants
: something that pollutes
especially
: something (such as anthropogenic waste) that makes an environment unsuitable or unsafe for use
sources of pollutants [=pollution] in the environment
Meanwhile, scientists warned that other air pollutants—especially from automobiles—might also be contributing to health problems, forest damage and decreased crop production. —
National Wildlife
National Wildlife Formaldehyde is an important atmospheric pollutant that can be produced in photochemical smog. —Des W. Connell
Des W. Connell A 165-foot cement tower contains radium-rich blends that have given off radon gas—a pollutant that can cause cancer. —Michael H. Brown
Michael H. Brown Examples of pollutant in a Sentence
filtered the pollutants out of the water
Recent Examples on the Web
Further evidence shows that racial minority groups exposed to pollutants suffer from poor maternal health groups more than others in the United States.
—Tracy J. Wholf, CBS News, 14 Mar. 2025
In the wake of the environmental and women’s movements, citizen activists, mothers of children with birth defects and women with breast cancer became alarmed about the threat of cancer linked to pesticides or industrial pollutants.
—Amy Lauren Fairchild, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025
The problem is that there are many other pathways that these pollutants can take to enter your body, such as through food.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 10 Mar. 2025
At the Natural History Museum, Shultz is well-positioned to compare birds from this era to those exposed to pollutants past.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pollutant
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Tracy J. Wholf, CBS News, 14 Mar. 2025
In the wake of the environmental and women’s movements, citizen activists, mothers of children with birth defects and women with breast cancer became alarmed about the threat of cancer linked to pesticides or industrial pollutants.
—Amy Lauren Fairchild, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025
The problem is that there are many other pathways that these pollutants can take to enter your body, such as through food.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 10 Mar. 2025
At the Natural History Museum, Shultz is well-positioned to compare birds from this era to those exposed to pollutants past.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pollutant
Cite this Entry
“Pollutant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pollutant. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pollutant
noun
pol·lut·ant
pə-ˈlüt-ᵊnt
: something that pollutes
Medical Definition
pollutant
noun
pol·lut·ant
pə-ˈlüt-ᵊnt
: something that pollutes
especially
: something (such as anthropogenic waste) that makes an environment unsuitable or unsafe for use
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