deforestation

noun

de·​for·​es·​ta·​tion (ˌ)dē-ˌfȯr-ə-ˈstā-shən 

-ˌfär-

: the action or process of clearing of forests

also : the state of having been cleared of forests

Examples of deforestation in a Sentence

the deforestation of the island

Recent Examples on the Web

The burning of gasoline, oil and coal, plus deforestation, wildfires and many kinds of factories, release heat-trapping gasses that cause climate change. — ABC News, 22 June 2026

Their primary threat is habitat loss driven by deforestation for mining and agriculture. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026

The legislation also arrives as governments and businesses face growing pressure from international markets to demonstrate that commodities such as beef are not linked to deforestation. — Steven Grattan, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026

After reaching record levels in the 1990s and 2000s, deforestation declined until the 2019-2022 term of then President Jair Bolsonaro, whose government was widely criticized for weakening environmental protections. — Gabriela Sa Pessoa, Fortune, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for deforestation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Kids Definition

deforestation

noun

de·​for·​es·​ta·​tion (ˌ)dē-ˌfȯr-ə-ˈstā-shən 

-ˌfär-

: the action or process of clearing an area of forests

also : the state of having been cleared of forests

deforest

(ˈ)dē-ˈfȯr-əst 

-ˈfär-

verb