top-dress
verb
variants
or topdress
or top dress
top-dressed or topdressed or top dressed; top-dressing or topdressing or top dressing; top-dresses or topdresses or top dresses
: to apply material to (something, such as a road) without working it in
The unit can also be used to spread crushed rock in layers up to 12 cm thick for top-dressing roads.—
The Mining Journal
The Mining Journal
especially
: to scatter or apply amendments (such as compost) over (soil or land)
If you are a religious composter, you can just top-dress your beds and borders with the contents of your bin. —Craig Summers Black
Craig Summers Black Topdressing the acidic soils with the organic matter raises the pH and allows for vegetation to return. —Gretchen Leslie
Gretchen Leslie Examples of top-dress in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Be sure to water the seeded, fertilized and top-dressed areas well and keep the seeds moist with daily watering.
—Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, 1 Oct. 2024
In future years, top-dress the bed instead of disturbing it again.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2023
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.
Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, 1 Oct. 2024
In future years, top-dress the bed instead of disturbing it again.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Top-dress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top-dress. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share