tumbleweed

noun

tum·​ble·​weed ˈtəm-bəl-ˌwēd How to pronounce tumbleweed (audio)
: a plant (such as Russian thistle or any of several amaranths) that breaks away from its roots in the autumn and is driven about by the wind as a light rolling mass

Examples of tumbleweed in a Sentence

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.
In the tumbleweed years — 2017 to 2022 — a broken lift there became an emblem of the club’s decline and decay. Michael Walker, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025 Dark Winds is based on author Tony Hillerman's book series Leaphorn & Chee In February 2025, AMC announced that Dark Winds was renewed for season 4 The thriller's showrunner has shared what the next episodes will be about Dark Winds is about to blow back around like a tousled tumbleweed. Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025 The Bissell CleanView Swivel Pet Reach is built to tackle tumbleweeds of fur and mystery crumbs with surprising grace—thanks to a tangle-preventing brush roll and a wand that pops free for those hard-to-reach corners (or the perpetual dust colony behind your sofa). Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2025 Does one just neglect the laundry, fur ball tumbleweeds from my winter-coat-shedding pup, and the cloudy glass shower door? Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tumbleweed

Word History

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tumbleweed was in 1858

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Cite this Entry

“Tumbleweed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tumbleweed. Accessed 26 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

tumbleweed

noun
tum·​ble·​weed ˈtəm-bəl-ˌwēd How to pronounce tumbleweed (audio)
: a plant that breaks away from its roots in autumn and is blown about by the wind

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