outcrop
verb
out·crop
ˈau̇t-ˌkräp 
ˌau̇t-ˈkräp
outcropped; outcropping; outcrops
1
: to project from the surrounding soil
ledges outcropping from the eroded slope
2
: to come to the surface : appear
Examples of outcrop in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There isn’t enough cover up here to hide a horned toad, but there’s a big rock outcropping down the hill halfway to the sheep.
—
Robert V. Broadbent, Outdoor Life, 12 Feb. 2026
At its far end, the valley is enclosed by red sandstone cliffs—rock walls, towers, and outcrops the size of office buildings, smoothed and sculpted by millennia of wind and water.
—Stanley Stewart, Air Mail, 25 Oct. 2025
The ship eventually ran aground and became stranded on a limestone outcropping on Spider Island.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2025
These findings, unearthed from the Owl Rock Member that outcrops in a remote and less explored area of the site, reveal that at that time older animals like giant amphibians and armored crocodile relatives lived alongside newer species such as early frogs, turtles and pterosaurs.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for outcrop
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.
Robert V. Broadbent, Outdoor Life, 12 Feb. 2026
At its far end, the valley is enclosed by red sandstone cliffs—rock walls, towers, and outcrops the size of office buildings, smoothed and sculpted by millennia of wind and water.
—Stanley Stewart, Air Mail, 25 Oct. 2025
The ship eventually ran aground and became stranded on a limestone outcropping on Spider Island.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2025
These findings, unearthed from the Owl Rock Member that outcrops in a remote and less explored area of the site, reveal that at that time older animals like giant amphibians and armored crocodile relatives lived alongside newer species such as early frogs, turtles and pterosaurs.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for outcrop
Cite this Entry
“Outcrop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outcrop. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
outcrop
1 of 2 noun
out·crop
ˈau̇t-ˌkräp
1
: a coming out of bedrock to the surface of the ground
2
: the part of a rock formation that appears at the surface of the ground
outcrop
2 of 2 verb
out·crop
ˈau̇t-ˌkräp
(ˈ)au̇t-ˈkräp
outcropped; outcropping
: to come to the surface : appear
granite outcropping through softer rocks
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
