climate change

noun

: significant and long-lasting change in the earth's climate and weather patterns

The half-tonne … turtles were thought to have died out 30,000 to 40,000 years ago because of climate change.

—New Scientist

especially, in current use : such change associated with global warming

Concerns about greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change are renewed among scientists and the public with every new report about the possibility of melting icecaps and rising temperatures.

—Randy Showstack

Drought is a paleontological fact in the American West, but the latest desiccations have a new signature, and my region's climatologists, hydrologists, foresters, and water managers are nearly unanimous in their conviction that what we are seeing now is climate change, the anthropogenic kind, a consequence of too much CO2 and other greenhouse gases.

—Kenneth Brower

Examples of climate change in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The ice cap’s retreat coincided with anthropogenic climate change driving up summer temperatures. — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 6 Nov. 2026

State officials and managers of water agencies said the $7 billion reservoir will be a critical part of California’s efforts to adapt to climate change. — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

Many experts have recently argued that a key mission — combating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions — has been failing. — ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026

Prices for the commodity have been volatile over the past few years as supplies swung dramatically one season to the next, with climate change, water scarcity, and pest and disease playing a role. — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for climate change

• arrange
• derange
• estrange
• exchange
• midrange
• grange
• mange
• range
• strange
• interchange
• rearrange

Kids Definition

climate change

noun

: significant and long-lasting change in the earth's climate and weather patterns

especially : such change associated with global warming