Meaning
A pollutant is a substance that makes air, water, or land dirty and harmful to living things. It refers to any chemical or waste material that causes pollution.
Grammar and Usage
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Part of speech: Noun
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Countable: Yes (plural: pollutants)
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Typical structure:
- pollutant + verb → “Pollutants harm the environment.”
- pollutant + in + noun → “Pollutants in the river are dangerous.”
- air/water/soil + pollutant → describes the type of pollution.
Common Phrases
- air pollutant
- water pollutant
- soil pollutant
- industrial pollutant
- chemical pollutant
Collocations
- emit/release/discharge + pollutants
- reduce/control + pollutants
- harmful/toxic + pollutants
- sources of + pollutants
- pollutant levels
Examples
- Factories release pollutants into the atmosphere.
- Car exhaust is a major air pollutant in big cities.
- The government set new limits on industrial pollutants.
- Pollutants in the ocean can harm marine life.
- Scientists are developing filters to remove pollutants from water.
- Smoke and dust are common air pollutants.
- The company was fined for discharging pollutants into the river.
- Soil pollutants can affect food safety.
- Reducing pollutants is essential for protecting human health.
- The factory installed equipment to cut down on harmful pollutants.
Synonyms or Related
- contaminant
- toxin
- waste
- impurity
- pollutive substance
Antonym
- purifier
- cleanser
- filter