pollution
pollution — noun
1. the harmful condition that exists when waste, chemicals, or smoke make air, wate
the harmful condition that exists when waste, chemicals, or smoke make air, water, land, or seas dirty and unsafe
Black smoke from the old buses caused serious air pollution downtown.
collocation: air pollution
After the oil leak, pollution spread across the beach and nearby rocks.
The town built a new treatment plant to cut river pollution.
Children wore masks when winter pollution trapped dirty air over Seoul.
Pollution fell after the market stopped using plastic bags.
- contamination
often sounds more technical and often focuses on one place or material, such as water or food
- environmental damage
much broader and can include harms that are not caused by dirty substances
- smog
only refers to polluted air, especially the thick dirty air in cities
文法句型
air pollution
water pollution
reduce pollution
用法筆記
Usually uncountable. Distinguish from noun/2, which refers to the polluting substances or emissions themselves rather than the overall environmental problem.
常見錯誤
2. waste, chemicals, smoke, or other dirty material that gets into air, water, or l
waste, chemicals, smoke, or other dirty material that gets into air, water, or land and makes it harmful
The test found pollution from the factory in the village well.
pattern: pollution from [source]
Plastic pollution washed onto the island after last week's storm as debris.
material type: plastic pollution
Scientists measured diesel pollution near the tunnel during the morning rush.
Chemical pollution covered the harbor water after the storage tank burst.
The children pointed to oil pollution floating beside the pier.
- pollutant
the more exact word when you mean one specific harmful substance
- contaminant
often used in technical contexts for a substance found where it should not be
- emissions
usually refers to gases, smoke, or particles sent out into the air
- waste
broader and can include unwanted material that is not yet polluting anything
文法句型
plastic pollution
chemical pollution
pollution from [source]
用法筆記
Often modified by a source or material word such as plastic, chemical, factory, or traffic. If you want to name one separate substance, English more often uses pollutant.