pasture

1 of 2

noun

pas·​ture ˈpas-chər How to pronounce pasture (audio)
Synonyms of pasturenext
1
: plants (such as grass) grown for the feeding especially of grazing animals
2
: land or a plot of land used for grazing
3
: the feeding of livestock : grazing

pasture

2 of 2

verb

pastured; pasturing

transitive verb

1
: to feed (animals, such as cattle) on pasture
2
: to use as pasture

Examples of pasture in a Sentence

Noun The horses were grazing in the pasture. Most of their land is pasture. Verb The horses are pastured on several acres of land. pasturing sheep on town lands was actually a cheaper alternative to mowing
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Quercus in Gay, Georgia, was awarded Best New Hotel Design 2026 by Tablet Hotels, praised for its distinctive blend of regenerative farming and 3,800 acres of forest and pasture. Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 28 Mar. 2026 McDonald runs his cattle operations the way his family has for four generations, rotating hundreds of animals across thousands of acres of pastures. Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
In Wisconsin, dairy farms are smaller, herds are smaller, and cows are usually sent out to pasture to graze in good weather, which is not easy to come by in Wisconsin. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026 Another is to acquaint yourself with the courage and good-heartedness of those who are making it now, and who will one day lead us out to pasture. Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pasture

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin pastura, from Latin pastus, past participle of pascere to feed — more at food

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of pasture was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pasture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pasture. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

pasture

1 of 2 noun
pas·​ture ˈpas-chər How to pronounce pasture (audio)
1
: plants (as grass) for feeding especially grazing animals
2
: land or a plot of land used for grazing

pasture

2 of 2 verb
pastured; pasturing
1
2
: to feed (as cattle) on pasture

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