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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Arizona is one of 10 states that elect their utility regulators, who make decisions about how energy infrastructure is approved, the balance of cleaner or more polluting fuels, regulations around railroad and pipeline safety, and buyback rates for rooftop solar customers, among other topics. Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 2 Nov. 2024 So policy makers are focusing on creating alternatives: promoting agricultural waste recycling programs, for example, or promoting cooking with less polluting fuels. Olivia Ferrari, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 July 2024 With fast fashion the second-most polluting industry in the world, the trade show is in response to the rampant overconsumption, growing awareness among the youth looking to be better consumers and the secondhand market changing the way consumption can become investments. Fairchild Studio, WWD, 28 Oct. 2024 Six years ago, Baird had a wake-up call and realized how the fashion industry is one of the world’s most polluting industries. Yola Robert, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for polluting 

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 28 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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