ozone hole

noun

: an area of the ozone layer (as near the south pole) that is seasonally depleted of ozone

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web What caused the ozone hole? Bárbara Pinho, Discover Magazine, 10 Nov. 2020 The ozone hole, which appears in the Southern Hemisphere each year in the austral spring, stopped growing from 2000 to 2010. Eric Niiler, WSJ, 9 Jan. 2023 The Malthusian trap, the ozone hole, acid rain. Gideon Lichfield, Wired, 9 Aug. 2022 There’s a similar story around the ozone hole. David Marchese, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2022 Releasing a lot of sulfur dioxide has the potential to trigger acid rain, irritate people’s lungs, and even worsen the Antarctic ozone hole. Justine Calma, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2023 Natural weather patterns in the Antarctic also affect ozone hole levels, which peak in the fall. Seth Borenstein, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ozone hole.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1986, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ozone hole was in 1986

Dictionary Entries Near ozone hole

Cite this Entry

“Ozone hole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ozone%20hole. Accessed 29 May. 2023.

Kids Definition

ozone hole

noun
: an area of the ozone layer (as near the south pole) that is seasonally depleted of ozone
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!