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
The itineraries connect travelers with grassroots organizations defending public lands and donate a portion of proceeds directly to those on the front lines.
—
The Editors, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026
The solution, a public lands access group has proposed an ambitious plan to build eight massive desalination plants off the California coastline, turning ocean water into freshwater for farming and reducing demand on the ailing Colorado River.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
By demonstrating 21st-century best practices on public lands, AB 2494 embodies the notion of government leadership by example.
—Evan Mills, Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2026
Under the property clause of the Constitution, Congress holds exclusive authority over public lands – once the real estate is purchased, it is considered public land.
—Aaron Walayat, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for public land
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.
The Editors, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026
The solution, a public lands access group has proposed an ambitious plan to build eight massive desalination plants off the California coastline, turning ocean water into freshwater for farming and reducing demand on the ailing Colorado River.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
By demonstrating 21st-century best practices on public lands, AB 2494 embodies the notion of government leadership by example.
—Evan Mills, Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2026
Under the property clause of the Constitution, Congress holds exclusive authority over public lands – once the real estate is purchased, it is considered public land.
—Aaron Walayat, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for public land
Cite this Entry
“Public land.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20land. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
