polluting

adjective

pol·​lut·​ing pə-ˈlü-tiŋ How to pronounce polluting (audio)
: causing pollution
… a region that has been dependent upon basic industries such as coal mining and metal work—relatively polluting industries.Patricia L. Layman
The recycling process itself can be polluting. Recyclers find it difficult to separate recyclable from nonrecyclable plastics, which causes the end product to be useless.Sally Hayhow Cullen

Examples of polluting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Some scientists see the shipping regulation as an analog to a way that researchers are exploring to halt global warming: purposefully brightening clouds using less polluting methods. Shannon Osaka, Washington Post, 25 June 2024 The problem is steelmaking is incredibly energy-hungry and remains heavily reliant on coal, the most polluting fossil fuel. Rachel Ramirez, CNN, 23 June 2024 In late March, fuel analysts attributed some of the increase in prices to the annual transition from winter-blend gasoline to California’s summer blend, which is less polluting but more expensive. Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2024 Global capacity to generate power from coal, one of the most polluting fossil fuels, grew in 2023, driven by a wave of new plants coming online in China that coincided with a slowing pace of retirements of older plants in the United States and Europe, according to an annual report. Delger Erdenesanaa, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for polluting 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'polluting.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of polluting was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near polluting

Cite this Entry

“Polluting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polluting. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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