crabgrass

noun

crab·​grass ˈkrab-ˌgras 

: a grass (especially Digitaria sanguinalis) that has creeping or decumbent stems which root freely at the nodes and that is often a pest in turf or cultivated lands

Examples of crabgrass in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Trappe said the new seedlings would germinate and emerge in the springtime, even slightly before the emergence of crabgrass. — Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026

These products work by inhibiting seed germination so using the crabgrass preventer on the lawn will inhibit bulb spread by seed. — Paul Cappeillo, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Sep. 2026

Annual weeds, such as crabgrass, purslane and pigweed die with the first hard frost. — Manjot Kaur Sidhu, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026

In a work so dense with references, mistakes will sprout like crabgrass; write a big book on André Le Nôtre’s formal gardens and the earthworm experts will gather to deride your confusion. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1743, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for crabgrass

• alas
• amass
• bromegrass
• bypass
• crevasse
• eelgrass
• eyeglass
• groundmass
• harass
• impasse
• jackass
• landmass

Kids Definition

crabgrass

noun

crab·​grass ˈkrab-ˌgras 

: a weedy grass with creeping or sprawling stems that root freely at the nodes