global warming
noun
: an increase in the earth's atmospheric and oceanic temperatures widely predicted to occur due to an increase in the greenhouse effect resulting especially from pollution
A Russian-owned tanker … completed a journey in record time from Europe to Asia this month, auguring the future of shipping as global warming melts sea ice.—
Russell Goldman
Russell GoldmanDebates about stem cells, global warming, and alternative energy might be less contentious if the scientific issues behind them were better understood.—Elizabeth Gettelman
Elizabeth GettelmanThe development is also meant to boost tourism in Zermatt, which, like many Alpine towns worried about the effects of global warming on winter tourism, is exploring ways to draw visitors throughout the year.—Jim Rendon
Jim Rendon… I think it makes a compelling case, at least for most audiences, that humans are the cause of most of the global warming that is taking place, and that unless we take quick action the consequences for our planetary home could become irreversible.—Al Gore
Al GoreExamples of global warming in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
According to the United Nations, the world is heading toward a gain of nearly 3 degrees of global warming in the next century, even with current climate policies and goals – and researchers say individuals could bear the economic burden.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 3 Dec. 2025
Ramping up power generation to meet higher demand may hinder progress in limiting the emissions of carbon from burning fossil fuels that contribute to global warming, while also causing health hazards.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Fortune, 2 Dec. 2025
This is on top of the impact of global warming and sea level rise.
—New Atlas, 29 Nov. 2025
The term has also been used to describe technology that removes carbon from the atmosphere, which is now widely accepted as a necessary tool to limit global warming.
—Alexander C. Kaufman, The Atlantic, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for global warming
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Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 3 Dec. 2025
Ramping up power generation to meet higher demand may hinder progress in limiting the emissions of carbon from burning fossil fuels that contribute to global warming, while also causing health hazards.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Fortune, 2 Dec. 2025
This is on top of the impact of global warming and sea level rise.
—New Atlas, 29 Nov. 2025
The term has also been used to describe technology that removes carbon from the atmosphere, which is now widely accepted as a necessary tool to limit global warming.
—Alexander C. Kaufman, The Atlantic, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for global warming
Cite this Entry
“Global warming.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/global%20warming. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.
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