pollution
puh-LYOO-shuhn
Pollution (noun) means the contamination of the environment with harmful substances, noise, or light. Example: “Noise pollution from the motorway makes it hard to sleep in the nearby houses.”
noun
1
The contamination of the environment with harmful substances, noise, or light.
""Flying only looks like a bargain because the cost of pollution is so cheap.""
— , Network News: Network rail under fire for spending thousands of pounds on flights (2023)
"Noise pollution from the motorway makes it hard to sleep in the nearby houses."
"Pollution now kills three times as many people worldwide as Aids, tuberculosis and malaria combined."
— George Monbiot, Cars are killing us. Within 10 years, we must phase them out (2019)
"Air pollution in the city has reached dangerous levels this week."
"Plastic pollution is choking marine life across the ocean."
"Pollution levels are almost always higher in cities rather than the countryside, what with the cars, industry and so on."
How to use pollution
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHarmful contamination of the air, water, soil, or environment more broadly.
Common pairings
air pollution
noise pollution
reduce pollution
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Word forms
- Plural
- pollutions
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Noise _____ from the motorway makes it hard to sleep in the nearby houses.
Etymology
From Latin pollūtiō, "defilement," ultimately from polluō, "to soil or contaminate."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for pollution
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for pollution →
Frequently asked questions
What does “pollution” mean?
The word “pollution” means the contamination of the environment with harmful substances, noise, or light. In plain terms, harmful contamination of the air, water, soil, or environment more broadly.
How do you pronounce “pollution”?
“Pollution” is pronounced puh-LYOO-shuhn (/pəˈluʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “pollution” in a sentence?
Here is “pollution” used in a sentence: “Air pollution in the city has reached dangerous levels this week.”
What part of speech is “pollution”?
“Pollution” is a noun.
Where does the word “pollution” come from?
The word “pollution” comes from Latin. From Latin pollūtiō, "defilement," ultimately from polluō, "to soil or contaminate.".
Is “pollution” a common word?
“Pollution” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between "pollution" and "contamination"?
"Pollution" refers broadly to harmful substances, noise, or light entering and spoiling the environment, often on a large scale. "Contamination" usually describes a more specific case of an unwanted substance getting into something clean, such as food, water, or a wound, and does not have to affect the wider environment.
What prepositions are used with "pollution"?
"Pollution" is commonly followed by "of" to name what is affected, as in "pollution of the river," and by "from" to name the source, as in "pollution from factories." You also see "air pollution," "water pollution," and "noise pollution" as fixed compound phrases.
Is "pollution" countable or uncountable?
"Pollution" is an uncountable noun, so it normally has no plural and is not used with "a" or "an." You say "there is a lot of pollution" rather than "a pollution" or "pollutions."
What is the difference between "pollution" and "pollutant"?
"Pollution" is the overall condition or process of the environment being contaminated with harmful substances, noise, or light. A "pollutant" is a specific substance that causes it, such as exhaust fumes or plastic waste, so pollutants are the causes and pollution is the result.
