: 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
Abiqua Falls — known for its 92-foot (28-meter) vertical drop over a columnar basalt cliff — has been privately owned for over a century but open to the public.
—
ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
Magong sits as the main city of Taiwan’s Penghu archipelago, a group of islands in the Taiwan Strait known for striking basalt rock formations, traditional fishing villages, and a noticeably slower pace of life.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2026
Tucked into a valley in the south of Iceland, this 82-foot-long outdoor pool feels as wild as its setting; a concrete haven jutting from the side of the basalt rock cliffs, draped in splotches of moss.
—Lauren Breedlove, Outside, 3 Mar. 2026
From there, head over to the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage site with stunning interlocking basalt stone columns that are the result of a volcanic fissure eruption that took place in the Paleogene period (around 60 million years ago).
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Feb. 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.
ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
Magong sits as the main city of Taiwan’s Penghu archipelago, a group of islands in the Taiwan Strait known for striking basalt rock formations, traditional fishing villages, and a noticeably slower pace of life.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2026
Tucked into a valley in the south of Iceland, this 82-foot-long outdoor pool feels as wild as its setting; a concrete haven jutting from the side of the basalt rock cliffs, draped in splotches of moss.
—Lauren Breedlove, Outside, 3 Mar. 2026
From there, head over to the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage site with stunning interlocking basalt stone columns that are the result of a volcanic fissure eruption that took place in the Paleogene period (around 60 million years ago).
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Feb. 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 22 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
: a dark gray to black usually fine-grained igneous rock
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
