chaparral

noun

chap·ar·ral | \ ˌsha-pə-ˈral

, -ˈrel\

Definition of chaparral

1 : a thicket of dwarf evergreen oaks broadly : a dense impenetrable thicket of shrubs or dwarf trees

2 : an ecological community composed of shrubby plants adapted to dry summers and moist winters that occurs especially in southern California

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Examples of chaparral in a Sentence

the rabbit darted into the chaparral

Recent Examples on the Web

Following years of drought and a summer of record-breaking heat, immense tracts of forests, chaparral and grasslands have become tinder that allows even a small spark to explode into a devouring blaze, authorities said. — Fox News, "Back to rubble, some 'lost everything' in California fire," 2 Aug. 2018 California officials responded that the latest fires started in not forests but suburban areas, fueled by scrub grasses and chaparral dried by the state’s long-standing drought, and driven by blowtorch winds. — Matt Viser, The Seattle Times, "Trump blames California for natural disaster, adding to denunciations of strongly Democratic state," 13 Nov. 2018 The chaparral had grown as tall as 10 feet and was nearly impenetrable in places, according to fire officials. — Anne Ryman, azcentral, "Granite Mountain Hotshots: An untold story from the day 19 firefighters died," 23 June 2018 Fall and spring itineraries begin in Prescott, with cyclists traveling through the chaparral, piñon, juniper and ponderosa forests to the 54-mile Skull Valley Loop cycling challenge. — Rosemary Mcclure, latimes.com, "It's all about the red rocks on Northern Arizona biking adventure," 30 May 2018 In the 1970s Saucelito Canyon’s Bill Greenough restored the vines, which had been overgrown by dense chaparral. — Matt Jaffe, Los Angeles Magazine, "San Luis Obispo Has Ocean Breezes—and Two Wine Regions," 27 Apr. 2018 Nearly 2,000 miles of rivers, desert, chaparral and fencing separate the United States and Mexico, and a wall advocated by President Donald Trump could soon be built along some parts of the border. — Daniel Wheaton, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Border Overview," 14 Mar. 2018 The lakes, Crystal Springs, San Andreas and Pilarcitos, are surrounded by 23,000 acres of woodlands and chaparral. — Bill Van Niekerken, San Francisco Chronicle, "Hetch Hetchy water’s long trip from Sierra to San Francisco," 6 Mar. 2018 This is a vehicle that validates the rugged individualist who, ready for adventure and desperate for authenticity, may never leave Highland Avenue for the high chaparral. — Charles Fleming, latimes.com, "2018 Jeep Wrangler is a rough rider, on and off the pavement," 2 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chaparral.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.