climate change

noun

: significant and long-lasting change in the Earth's climate and weather patterns
The half-tonne … turtles were thought to have died out 30,000 to 40,000 years ago because of climate change.New Scientist
especially, in current use : such change associated with global warming
Concerns about greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change are renewed among scientists and the public with every new report about the possibility of melting icecaps and rising temperatures. Randy Showstack
Drought is a paleontological fact in the American West, but the latest desiccations have a new signature, and my region's climatologists, hydrologists, foresters, and water managers are nearly unanimous in their conviction that what we are seeing now is climate change, the anthropogenic kind, a consequence of too much CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Kenneth Brower

Examples of climate change in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The trillions in investment that the world needs to mitigate and adapt to climate change will come in forms that might otherwise be classified broadly as infrastructure, venture capital, or private equity. Justin Worland, Time, 10 May 2025 The state’s water suppliers have been and will continue to implement innovative solutions to increase the state’s freshwater supply and its resilience to climate change. Bob Maliva, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 May 2025 According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), climate change refers to long-term change in weather patterns defining climates across the planet. Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025 Droughts caused by climate change could worsen the situation. Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for climate change

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of climate change was in 1854

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Cite this Entry

“Climate change.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/climate%20change. Accessed 15 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

climate change

noun
: significant and long-lasting change in the earth's climate and weather patterns
especially : such change associated with global warming
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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