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1
: a narrow shelf, path, or ledge typically at the top or bottom of a slope
also : a mound or wall of earth or sand
a landscaped berm
2
: the shoulder of a road
… deer … feeding on the berm of the highway …Norman Erickson

Examples of berm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
While tests are currently limited to catch boxes and berms, the company is pursuing permission for altitude tests. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 24 Nov. 2025 The palisade itself consisted of two earthen berms a meter tall and a meter wide, with a deep, three-and-a-half-meter-wide trench between them. Literary Hub, 14 Nov. 2025 Many others show clear signs of precautions against the danger involved in missile production – buildings are surrounded by tall dirt and concrete berms, a safety measure against the risk of explosions. Tamara Qiblawi, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025 In early May, the militia began building a thirty-five-mile-long berm around the city, to prevent food and humanitarian aid from entering; people have survived on grass and animal feed since. Nicolas Niarchos, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for berm

Word History

Etymology

French berme, from Dutch berm strip of ground along a dike; akin to Middle English brimme brim

First Known Use

1693, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of berm was in 1693

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Berm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/berm. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

berm

noun
: a shelf or path at the top or bottom of a slope
also : a mound or wall of earth

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