0 to make an area or substance, usually air, water, or soil, dirty or harmful to people, animals, and plants, especially by adding harmful chemicals:
The pesticides used on many farms are polluting the water supply.
We won't invest in any company that pollutes the environment.
figurative Many complain that broadcasters pollute the airwaves with sensationalism and sleaze.
1 to make air, water, or earth dirty or harmful to people, animals, and plants, esp. by adding harmful chemicals or waste:
Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are polluting the groundwater.
2 to make water, the air, or land dirty and not safe for people, animals, and plants, especially with waste or chemicals:
We should respect the environment and not pollute it.
The fertilizers and pesticides used on many farms are polluting the water supply.
Oil from the wrecked tanker polluted more than 40 miles of the Normandy shoreline.
The fund provides money to clean up chemically polluted industrial sites.
High concentrations of toxic elements were found in the polluted areas of the sea.
If one factory did not pollute the water, downstream factories could use the same water and there would be no shortage.
However, intensities are also affected by changing prices of (or taxes on) polluting inputs into the production process.
More than 70 per cent of the surface water (rivers) near cities is polluted.
