public land

noun

: land owned by a government
specifically : that part of the U.S. public domain subject to sale or disposal under the homestead laws

Examples of public land in a Sentence

the management of public lands The government will auction off 20 parcels of public land.
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.
Clears the way for oil, gas, mining interests By executive order, Trump previously directed the Department of the Interior to review oil, gas and mining on public land. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 13 June 2025 Strong support in Colorado for public lands Nearly 90% of Coloradans visit national public lands at least once a year, according to Colorado College’s 2025 Conservation in the West Poll. Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 12 June 2025 Congressional Republicans have revived plans to sell public lands as part of ongoing negotiations on the federal budget reconciliation bill — and now Idaho’s public lands could be sold, too. Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 12 June 2025 In April Trump signed executive orders to boost the struggling coal industry and power data centers by allowing older coal plants to keep operating, exempting them from federal pollution limits for two years and increasing coal mining on public lands. Jeff Brady, NPR, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for public land

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of public land was in 1789

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Public land.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20land. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

Legal Definition

public land

noun
: land owned by a government
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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