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.
The shutdown has turned peak fall into a stress test for public lands. Monica Sanders, Forbes.com, 21 Oct. 2025 This free labor makes public lands an absolute steal of a deal for taxpayers, Steve Linton told me. Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 20 Oct. 2025 If approved, the cuts would leave major vacancies across agencies that oversee public lands and outdoor recreation. Frederick Dreier, Outside, 20 Oct. 2025 As the executive order signed in July also directed the Department of Interior to identify potential sites for data center and energy development, there is the possibility that public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management could be leased to private companies. Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Public land.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20land. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Legal Definition

public land

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