defile
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
I got in there the idea of a strain with the Lakers, but I wanted to make sure to not defile that relationship based upon certain things that I wasn’t going to dig into.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2026
A soldier who requested anonymity explained to AFP that since then the body had been guarded around the clock "so that rival groups do not defile him."
From Barron's ● Mar. 3, 2026
Some Parisians backed the move, but others - including heritage campaigners - said it was a bad idea and would "defile" the French capital's iconic monument.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2024
Protesters blocked construction crews in 2015 and 2019, saying building a new telescope there would further defile a site that they say has already been harmed by a dozen other observatories.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 19, 2022
They were waiting in a narrow defile when their brothers appeared, leading their garrons.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
![]()
"It is time to realize that fundamentalism defiles and corrupts every creed," he said.
From Reuters ● Sep. 14, 2022
In the name of personalization, she says, “it defiles, ignores, overrides and displaces everything about you and me that is personal.”
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 11, 2019
Even as he builds his delegate count, he gains strength from the very groups he defiles.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 10, 2016
If Wood defiles this terrain, he does so by not describing it as vibrantly as you might hope.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2016
As the day wore on, Melyngar led them swiftly through rocky defiles to high ridges.
From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander
![]()
The writer Octavio Paz, the Mexican Nobel laureate, denounced Malinche as a kind of malevolent Eve whose submission to Cortés forever defiled Mexico’s mixed identity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 25, 2026
Close friend Jo Peraldi finds it hard to believe that a day of high emotion surrounding the funeral of Orsoni's mother could have been defiled in such a way.
From BBC ● Jan. 17, 2026
The Seleucids captured the holy Temple of Jerusalem and defiled it by erecting an altar to the Greek god Zeus inside.
From National Geographic ● Dec. 7, 2023
The long-awaited move from the Environmental Protection Agency is meant to spark the cleanup of scores of sites defiled by industrial compounds and make the public more aware of their presence.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 26, 2022
The eagerly awaited food promised for Parcel Day arrives spoiled and defiled by rodents.
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
![]()
Let’s start with the users defiling the site with parodies of Musk and prominent corporations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 16, 2022
That meant a lot to all of us in this community who were dismayed to see hateful messages defiling a shared space where our kids play.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 30, 2022
The song's title is a reference to the Section 295 of the Indian Penal Code which deals with "Injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class".
From BBC ● May 30, 2022
"This is a defiling a classic," said another.
From Reuters ● Feb. 13, 2022
We are all our beautiful bodies and so must never be prostrate before barbarians, must never submit our original self, our one of one, to defiling and plunder.
From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates
![]()
Vocabulary lists containing defile
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Grade 9, List 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The House of the Scorpion
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!