badland

noun

bad·​land ˈbad-ˌland How to pronounce badland (audio)
Synonyms of badlandnext
: a region marked by intricate erosional sculpturing, scanty vegetation, and fantastically formed hills
usually used in plural

Examples of badland in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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At nearly 650,000 acres — just smaller than Yosemite — the park unfolds as a vast mosaic of mountains, badlands and open desert valleys extending far beyond the reach of the pavement. Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026 At 88, the legendary artist, dressed in a black smock, was filmed walking through the eroded sculptural features of the badlands, her face furrowed by age, her eyes still blazing. John Burnett, NPR, 14 Mar. 2026 Hiking the craggy landscape of Pinnacles National Park, forged by volcanic eruptions so long ago, might leave one as famished as a California condor — which indeed call these badlands home. John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026 The Red Shirt Table overlook of the badlands on the Oglala Sioux's Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Philip Wang, Time, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for badland

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of badland was in 1850

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Cite this Entry

“Badland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/badland. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

badland

noun
bad·​land ˈbad-ˌland How to pronounce badland (audio)
: a region where natural forces have worn away the soft rocks into sharp and complicated shapes and where plant life is scarce
usually used in plural

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