variants or pot bound or potbound
of a potted plant
: having roots formed into a dense, tangled mass that encircles the inside of a container and that allows little or no space for further growth : root-bound
Examine the root system of container plants carefully to make certain that the plant has not become pot-bound. If it has, the roots will have circled around the inside of the pot and will be a solid, entangled mass.Robert Emmerich et al.
Grow several bulbs in one pot so they remain potbound.Joan Lee Faust

Examples of pot-bound in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This is no different than the care for other indoor plants, but because palms are quite tolerant of being pot-bound for a while, gardeners may forget that the potting mix is deteriorating over time and should be refreshed periodically. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 4 Jan. 2024 For example, their roots may be pot-bound and they may not have been consistently watered. Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pot-bound.' 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

1835, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pot-bound was in 1835

Dictionary Entries Near pot-bound

Cite this Entry

“Pot-bound.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pot-bound. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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