ecological
adjective
eco·log·i·cal
ˌē-kə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 
ˌe-kə-
ˌe-kə-
variants
or less commonly ecologic
ˌē-kə-ˈlä-jik
ˌe-kə-
1
: of or relating to the science of ecology
ecological studies
2
: of or relating to the environments of living things or to the relationships between living things and their environments
The ecological effects of the turf monoculture become even more troubling as large tracts, such as golf courses, displace whole ecosystems in a single stroke.—
Adelheid Fischer
Adelheid FischerIn every community in nature, each type of organism has its own specialized role to play in what is called an ecological niche.—William Threlfall
William ThrelfallRush was scoffing at concerns that the schools of sharks gathering off the coast of Florida might be an indication of some harmful ecological change.—Al Franken
Al FrankenThe chief of a new environmental protection committee, Fyodor Morgun, blamed the "ill-considered drive to build gigantic plants" for a Pandora's box of ecological problems, including air and water pollution.—William R. Doerner et al.
William R. Doerner et al.3
: of or relating to human ecology
Ecological data suggest that in rural areas the availability of family physicians is associated with reduced mortality rate after adjustment for demographic and economic factors.—Peter Franks et al.
Peter Franks et al.
ecologically
ˌē-kə-ˈlä-ji-k(ə-)lē
adverb
ˌe-kə-
… an ecologically rich river basin …
—Cultural Survival Quarterly
Cultural Survival Quarterly
Sustainable agricultural practices involve making choices that are not only ecologically sound but also economically viable and socially just.
—Karin Springen
Karin Springen
Examples of ecological in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Meanwhile, early environmental monitoring has suggested that the installation has no negative ecological impact.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2025
Schools, parks, and wildlife programs could use the designations to teach Californians about native species, their habitats, and the ecological importance of protecting them.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Webb suggests imagining alternative intelligences — like mosses — that prioritize coexistence and ecological resilience over dominance, offering a radically different model for future AI.
—Jonny Thomson, Big Think, 8 Oct. 2025
The results, published today in Science, represent the largest effort yet to study such effects, and provide important information for developing conservation strategies against ecological threats such as light pollution, the authors say.
—Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ecological
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Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2025
Schools, parks, and wildlife programs could use the designations to teach Californians about native species, their habitats, and the ecological importance of protecting them.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Webb suggests imagining alternative intelligences — like mosses — that prioritize coexistence and ecological resilience over dominance, offering a radically different model for future AI.
—Jonny Thomson, Big Think, 8 Oct. 2025
The results, published today in Science, represent the largest effort yet to study such effects, and provide important information for developing conservation strategies against ecological threats such as light pollution, the authors say.
—Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ecological
Cite this Entry
“Ecological.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ecological. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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