Synonyms for defile
dɪˈfaɪl, ˈdi faɪlde·file

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. defile

   The hand may be defiled by a touch of pitch; swine that have been wallowing in the mud are befouled. Contaminate and infect refer to something evil that deeply pervades and permeates, as the human body or mind. Pollute is used chiefly of liquids; as, water polluted with sewage. Tainted meat is repulsive; infected meat contains germs of disease. A soiled garment may be cleansed by washing; a spoiled garment is beyond cleansing or repair. Bright metal is tarnished by exposure; a fair sheet is sullied by a dirty hand. In figurative use, defile may be used merely in the ceremonial sense; "they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled," John xviii, 28; contaminate refers to deep spiritual injury. Pollute has also a reference to sacrilege; as, to pollute a sanctuary, an altar, or an ordinance. The innocent are often contaminated by association with the wicked; the vicious are more and more corrupted by their own excesses. We speak of a vitiated taste or style; fraud vitiates a title or a contract.

   Synonyms:
   befoul, contaminate, corrupt, infect, pollute, soil, spoil, stain, sully, taint, tarnish, vitiate

   Antonyms:
   clean, cleanse, disinfect, hallow, purify, sanctify, wash

   Preposition:
   The temple was defiled with blood; defiled by sacrilegious deeds.

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. defile, gorgenoun

   a narrow pass (especially one between mountains)

   Synonyms:
   gullet, gorge, oesophagus, esophagus

2. defile, sully, corrupt, taint, cloudverb

   place under suspicion or cast doubt upon

   "sully someone's reputation"

   Synonyms:
   subvert, besmirch, fog, calumniate, foul, infect, overcast, becloud, befoul, maculate, slander, demoralise, dapple, cloud, misdirect, debase, pervert, demoralize, sully, defame, asperse, vitiate, profane, obscure, mist, stain, haze over, taint, smear, denigrate, deprave, mottle, tarnish, buy, befog, grease one's palms, smirch, bribe, debauch, spoil, corrupt, obnubilate

3. tarnish, stain, maculate, sully, defileverb

   make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically

   "The silver was tarnished by the long exposure to the air"; "Her reputation was sullied after the affair with a married man"

   Synonyms:
   calumniate, maculate, asperse, tarnish, smear, denigrate, slander, corrupt, sully, stain, besmirch, smirch, defame, foul, taint, cloud, befoul

4. foul, befoul, defile, maculateverb

   spot, stain, or pollute

   "The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it"

   Synonyms:
   choke off, maculate, tarnish, foul, clog up, congest, contaminate, clog, pollute, sully, stain, choke, corrupt, taint, cloud, back up, befoul

Matched Categories

1. • Mar
   • Pass
   • Spot

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. defileverb

   Synonyms:
   soil, dirty, stain, tarnish, make foul or filthy

2. defileverb

   Synonyms:
   sully, taint, pollute, corrupt, vitiate, debase, contaminate, poison

3. defileverb

   Synonyms:
   violate, DEFLOUR, ravish

4. defileverb

   Synonyms:
   file off, march in a line

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:4.0 / 1 vote

1. defileverb

   Synonyms:
   contaminate, pollute, soil, befoul, vitiate, taint, corrupt, infect, sully

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How to use defile in a sentence?

1. Kelvin Cochran:

   Naked men refuse to give in, so they pursue sexual fulfillment through multiple partners, with the opposite sex, the same sex, and sex outside of marriage and many other vile, vulgar and inappropriate ways which defile their body – temple and dishonor God. i did not single out homosexuality.

2. Laura Bush:

   There is little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home, but in their disdain for pluralism, in their disregard for human life, in their determination to defile national symbols, they are children of the same foul spirit.

3. President Bush:

   We have seen growing evidence that the dangers to our country can do not only across borders, but from violence that gathers within. There is little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home. But there is disdainful pluralism in their disregard for human life, in their determination to defile national symbols. They are children of the same foul spirit and it is our continuing duty to confront them.

4. Russ Ingalls:

   Vermont was the first State in the nation to outlaw slavery. It’s already plainly in our Constitution that slavery is not allowed in our state, we have so many more important things to do [than] to defile our old important documents to change words that have already been clearly written. There is not one sane person that could so severely misinterpret the words of our constitution to make it read that Vermonters support slavery in any form. If it were to pass, it would not change anything other than a historic document that was so thoughtfully written over two hundred years ago.

5. Ramabina Mahapa:

   I want more monuments erected. But don't defile the ones that exist -- we are the sum total of all the history, not just the fun parts. people down the years will be looking at the statue and at his history and what he did.