desertification

noun

de·​sert·​i·​fi·​ca·​tion di-ˌzər-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

: the process of becoming desert (as from land mismanagement or climate change)

desertify

di-ˈzər-tə-ˌfī 

transitive verb

Examples of desertification in a Sentence

The organization was awarded for its efforts to prevent further desertification in Africa.

Recent Examples on the Web

These storms are becoming more frequent because of desertification, long periods of drought, and the drying up of lakes and wetlands. — Sanam Mahoozi, Forbes.com, 10 Mar. 2026

Go away politicians, go away college admissions, go away desertification. — Kate Colby october 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025

As the names suggest, the first of these two stretches saw a warm, wet continent, with abundant rainfall and flooding; the second saw drier conditions and some desertification. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 12 Nov. 2025

In the decades since, more advanced simulations show how a warming planet could trigger all sorts of calamities, from heat waves and superstorms to desertification and ecosystem collapse. — Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

desert entry 1 + -ification

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for desertification

• acclimatisation
• acclimatization
• acidification
• actualization
• annualization
• autocorrelation
• autoregulation
• beatification
• beneficiation
• biodegradation
• biotransformation
• bureaucratization