: a dark gray to black dense to fine-grained igneous rock that consists of basic plagioclase, augite, and usually magnetite
Examples of basalt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Columbia River Gorge divides Washington and Oregon, and there’s no shortage of magnificent landscapes in this area, from the cool, blue waters of the Columbia River to evergreen trees to rugged basalt mountain cliffs.
—
Molly Allen, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2026
The black expanse of thin, dense and relatively young basalt from those centers stands in stark contrast to thicker, more buoyant continental crust, which is primarily granite but contains the full gamut of sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks and can be billions of years old.
—Evan Howell, Scientific American, 4 Feb. 2026
Their soils range from light volcanic sand to dense basalt rock, often layered with ash from relatively recent eruptions.
—Emily Price, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Now, a team led by Heng-Ci Tian of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing has analyzed samples of lunar basalt brought back by Chang'e 6.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for basalt
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.
Molly Allen, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2026
The black expanse of thin, dense and relatively young basalt from those centers stands in stark contrast to thicker, more buoyant continental crust, which is primarily granite but contains the full gamut of sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks and can be billions of years old.
—Evan Howell, Scientific American, 4 Feb. 2026
Their soils range from light volcanic sand to dense basalt rock, often layered with ash from relatively recent eruptions.
—Emily Price, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Now, a team led by Heng-Ci Tian of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing has analyzed samples of lunar basalt brought back by Chang'e 6.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for basalt
Cite this Entry
“Basalt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basalt. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
: a dark gray to black usually fine-grained igneous rock
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
