desertification

noun

de·​sert·​i·​fi·​ca·​tion di-ˌzər-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

: the process of becoming desert (as from land mismanagement or climate change)

desertify

di-ˈzər-tə-ˌfī 

transitive verb

Examples of desertification in a Sentence

The organization was awarded for its efforts to prevent further desertification in Africa.

Recent Examples on the Web

Designed to hold back the encroaching Gobi Desert and reverse the tide of desertification, the project aims to cover nearly 350,000 square kilometers with trees by 2050—nearly the size of Germany. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025

Without these trees and their root system, the process of desertification will start to occur. —Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025

Predictably, the droughts caused desertification and altered the balance of power between farmers and herders. —Tarek Ghani, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2020

These findings also align with the priorities set by 2024’s triple COPs on biodiversity, climate change, and desertification, collectively known as the Rio Conventions, which emphasized integrating traditional knowledge with modern solutions. —Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

desert entry 1 + -ification

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for desertification

• acclimatisation
• acclimatization
• acidification
• actualization
• annualization
• autocorrelation
• autoregulation
• beatification
• beneficiation
• biodegradation
• biotransformation
• bureaucratization