often attributive
1
: land in or predominantly in grass
2
: a tract of grassland: such as
a
: a large area of level or rolling land in the Mississippi River valley that in its natural uncultivated state usually has deep fertile soil, a cover of tall coarse grasses, and few trees
b
: one of the dry treeless plateaus east of the Rocky Mountains that merge on their east side with the prairies proper and are characterized by shorter grasses and drier less fertile soil
Synonyms of prairie
Examples of prairie in a Sentence
Millions of buffalo once roamed the prairies.
The train tracks extend over miles of prairie.
Recent Examples on the Web
Arnold's Prairie Greenhouse and More LeRoy, Kansas Located on eastern Kansas prairie land, this garden center welcomes guests with display gardens filled with blooms, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
—
Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 10 Apr. 2026
The Eastern Colorado prairie was once carpeted with a mix of hardy grasses, flowering plants, and small shrubs that supported great herds of bison and pronghorn, abundant prairie dog colonies, predators like coyotes, foxes, and badgers, as well as numerous bird species, reptiles, and insects.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2026
On July 2, A ranch foreman checking on sheep finds strange debris spread over a prairie near Roswell, New Mexico.
—ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Looking over 6,000 acres of prairie, the 45,000-square-foot visitor center would undergo a $7 million renovation after sustaining severe damage from a hailstorm in 2024.
—Kate Kealey, Des Moines Register, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prairie
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Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 10 Apr. 2026
The Eastern Colorado prairie was once carpeted with a mix of hardy grasses, flowering plants, and small shrubs that supported great herds of bison and pronghorn, abundant prairie dog colonies, predators like coyotes, foxes, and badgers, as well as numerous bird species, reptiles, and insects.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2026
On July 2, A ranch foreman checking on sheep finds strange debris spread over a prairie near Roswell, New Mexico.
—ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Looking over 6,000 acres of prairie, the 45,000-square-foot visitor center would undergo a $7 million renovation after sustaining severe damage from a hailstorm in 2024.
—Kate Kealey, Des Moines Register, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prairie
Cite this Entry
“Prairie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prairie. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prairie
noun
prai·rie
ˈpre(ə)r-ē 
: a large area of level or rolling grassland
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