berm

noun

ˈbərm 

1

: a narrow shelf, path, or ledge typically at the top or bottom of a slope

also : a mound or wall of earth or sand

a landscaped berm

2

: the shoulder of a road

… deer … feeding on the berm of the highway …

—Norman Erickson

Examples of berm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Swaths of southern Utah are inundated Ryan Benally spent the weekend building dirt berms to divert floodwaters from his parents’ home on the Navajo Nation near Montezuma Creek, Utah. — Christopher Weber, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026

We were let loose to find our limits on a fast, flowing section of trail that let slower riders fall out while faster ones could pass on the high side of berms. — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 2 Nov. 2026

More rocks, less sand Recently, Crystal Cove State Park resembled a construction zone, with crews working around the clock to form large sand berms to protect historic wooden cottages clustered on sand between the ocean and highway. — Cindy Carcamo, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Nov. 2026

The Army Corps says protection measures, including flood walls, berms, and storm surge barriers, require additional study and funding. — Elle McLogan, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French berme, from Dutch berm strip of ground along a dike; akin to Middle English brimme brim

First Known Use

1693, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for berm

• ferm
• firm
• germ
• herm
• sperm
• squirm
• term
• therm
• worm
• wurm
• affirm
• bookworm

Kids Definition

berm

noun

ˈbərm 

: a shelf or path at the top or bottom of a slope

also : a mound or wall of earth