Definition of dirtnext
1
2
as in land
the solid part of our planet's surface as distinguished from the sea and air at the first sound of gunfire we hit the dirt

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
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5
as in dung
solid matter discharged from an animal's alimentary canal tread carefully, as there's cow dirt all over the pasture

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of dirt The numbers screamed for Madison Bumgarner, with the 2014 World Series championship on the line, to throw Kansas City’s Salvador Perez a breaking ball in the dirt. Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026 Switching to a gentle, creamy or hydrating cleanser protects the skin’s barrier while still removing dirt and makeup. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026 The Foamy looks to be a decent chair even before topping it with the fit-to-task cushion, combining an aluminum quad-folding frame with a full dirt/water-resistant fabric seat that can be used with or without the cushion. New Atlas, 24 Apr. 2026 Convoys of construction trucks carrying radioactive dirt and materials. Masatsugu Horie, Bloomberg, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dirt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirt
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the unceasing churn of clothing, footwear and accessories depletes soils, poisons the water, pollutes the air, drives deforestation, accelerates biodiversity loss and generates runaway planet-warming emissions that undermine brands’ lofty environmental ambitions.
    Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 1 May 2026
  • Felton Road is located in the Bannockburn subregion of Central Otago and grows grapes in four vineyards planted on north-facing slopes comprised of glacial soils.
    Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • His worst deed was to destroy USAID, the Agency for International Development, which had been our main civilian instrument for fostering survival, hope and democracy in foreign lands.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 May 2026
  • Most families keep some of the liquid for houseplants or gardening, but most of it goes to land conservation partners to be used as fertilizer, said founder and CEO Emily Nelson.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • The highest-scoring, fastest-flying team on the ice this season just can't seem to completely solve the lock-down, muck-up-the-middle approach of the Los Angeles Kings.
    ABC News, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Popular with airboaters, froggers and fishermen, the swampy muck beneath the water may have acted as a pincushion, essentially swallowing the disabled DC-9 aircraft.
    Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • There are no great surprises from here on out, though the sheer, lusty grossness of the fallout is occasionally startling.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
  • If an exclamation point only signified gore and grossness, this gothic rock opera would more than qualify.
    Rachel Simon, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • They can be sampled using standardized trapping methods worldwide, since they are easily attracted to dung and carrion, which allows for comparable data across different regions.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Yes, unfortunately, the ancient Irish did burn cow dung to heat their homes when peat was too expensive or not available.
    David McGrath, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Construction in the Arizona desert damaged an enormous Indigenous ground etching resembling a fish that is thought to be at least 1,000 years old.
    Jake Spring, Washington Post, 1 May 2026
  • Outside posts have a cleaner path early but can lose ground on turns since wider turns require horses to cover more distance.
    Neil Greenberg, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • Gaza’s most dire conditions — the lack of food and medicine, continuing Israeli attacks, destroyed hospitals, schools and residential buildings, homelessness and overcrowding — now include rodents, climbing temperatures and open-air sewage.
    Jeremy Mikula, NBC news, 26 Apr. 2026
  • The city’s sewer systems often overflow during storms, causing untreated sewage and water to flood streets and basements.
    Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • In addition, prosecutors say swastikas, antisemitic slogans and vulgarity were spray-painted on pillars underneath M-53 and Canal, a brick wall near a business and an electrical box at a second business.
    Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
  • His vulgarity, insults and threats do not make America great.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirt. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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