soil 1 of 3

noun (1)

Definition of soilnext
1
as in dirt
foul matter that mars the purity or cleanliness of something got some sort of soil on my white pants

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2
as in dung
solid matter discharged from an animal's alimentary canal the horse lifted its tail and deposited its soil on the grass

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soil

2 of 3

noun (2)

1
as in ground
the loose surface material in which plants naturally grow bought rich soil to plant flowers in

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2
as in land
the solid part of our planet's surface as distinguished from the sea and air happy to have soil under my feet after that long sea voyage

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soil

3 of 3

verb

ˈsȯi(-ə)l How to pronounce soil (audio)
as in to stain
to make dirty oil and grease soiled the mechanic's shirt

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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 soil
Noun
Shonnie Cline, Aurora Water CBS The moisture is helping replenish soils that have been unusually dry for much of the year. — Kelly Werthmann, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 Up to 40 million metric tons of microplastics—ubiqutious in soil, air, and water—flood the environment every year. — Matt Alderton, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
Towards the end of the episode, Abby (Hall) and Andrew Borden (Hunnam) get very sick after eating spoiled oysters — projectile vomiting and soiling their undergarments in the dining room. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2026 Australian Hyrox star Joanna Wietrzyk has retroactively forfeited a Beijing race win after competing while visibly soiled. — Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for soil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soil
  1. dirt
  2. dung
  3. ground
  4. land
  5. stain
  6. muck
  7. sand
  8. earth
Noun
  • Video of the attack showed Levine lying on her side on a dirt path with her hands over her face as at least three settlers surrounded her.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Piles of dirt were placed on tarps, transferred into buckets and carefully sifted under a tent as crews searched for potential evidence.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of dirt
Noun
  • During the first re-inspection, the inspector saw about 10 pieces of rodent dung under the air-conditioning unit, seven in the hallway by the back door and three under storage by the hallway bathroom.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In southern India, for example, villagers are allowing – and even paying – herders to use their land in exchange for dung, the natural fertilizer that farmers need to produce higher-value organic crops.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of dung
Noun
  • Electric flight enters policing Astro could give officers another way to monitor the university’s campus and surrounding grounds.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The network, along with MS NOW and Politico, won a preliminary injunction in federal court last week, a blow to Trump’s effort to bar the outlets from the White House grounds.
    — Scott Nover, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of ground
Noun
  • Submarine’s combat capabilities tested The launches demonstrated the submarine’s ability to engage targets at sea and on land while operating underwater in the Pacific Ocean.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Herds of cows waded across flooded pastures as ranchers guided them toward dry land.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of land
Verb
  • Tips To Keep Your Sink Clean Longer Rinse the sink after every use to get rid of food debris that can cause odors, get rid of soap scum, and reduce staining.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Bookshelves are crammed with novels and almanacs, the wood boards of the ceilings stained dark in delicious contrast to the clean white walls and creamy linen furnishings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of stain
Noun
  • Wolf has never sounded more grounded than with 10 toes down in the muck.
    — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
  • As feminists fought patriarchy’s attempt to render women vulnerable socially and leave us dependent on men for money and more, the all-too-human inevitability of vulnerability and dependence got lost in the muck.
    — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of muck
Noun
  • On muddy gravel between the smokestacks and the water, a forklift held what looked like an enormous sack of sand.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Without natural sand reaching the beaches, high tides and large surf have resulted in entire beaches being covered with water, cutting off access.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of sand
Noun
  • The collection is organized around sun, sea and earth elements and was developed with perfumers Yann Vasnier, Christine Hassan, Rodrigo Flores-Roux, Caroline Sabas and Shyamala Maisondieu at Givaudan.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Their quest becomes more difficult every year, however, as the remains of pre-Columbian trees slough back into the earth or are dug up to make way for agriculture and construction.
    — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of earth

Browse Nearby Words

soigné
soil
soilage
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Cite this Entry

“Soil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soil. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on soil

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about soil

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