weed

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
a(1)
: a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth
especially : one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants
(2)
: a weedy growth of plants
b
: an aquatic plant
especially : seaweed
c(1)
: tobacco products
(2)
2
a
: an obnoxious growth, thing, or person
b
: something like a weed in detrimental quality
especially : an animal unfit to breed from

weed

2 of 3

verb

weeded; weeding; weeds

intransitive verb

: to remove weeds or something harmful

transitive verb

1
a
: to clear of weeds
weed a garden
b(1)
: to free from something hurtful or offensive
(2)
: to remove the less desirable portions of
2
: to get rid of (something harmful or superfluous)
often used with out

weed

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
: garment
often used in plural
2
a
: dress worn as a sign of mourning (as by a widow)
usually used in plural
b
: a band of crape worn on a man's hat as a sign of mourning
usually used in plural

Examples of weed in a Sentence

Verb We need to weed the garden.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Wear them while weeding, raking, planting, thatching, and scooping debris into yard waste bags to avoid punctures, scratches, splinters, and dirty fingernails. Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2023 Mark Kelly Israel’s defensive operation in Gaza will be difficult and bloody, as the military tries to weed Hamas terrorists out of a densely populated urban environment. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 13 Oct. 2023 Upland weeding and priorities Whether upland or lowland, rice is no longer profitable to grow in South Carolina – the historical center of U.S. rice-farming – unless it’s grown as a hobby, says Dr. Karthikeyan, who’s leading a study on climate-resilient rice production. Sophie Hills, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Oct. 2023 Worx Landscaping 26-Gallon Collapsible Yard Waste Bin After so much raking and weeding, all that yard waste has to go somewhere. Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2023 At a workday event on the last day of summer, Barbara Francisco, 74, weeded a patch of earth at the Long Branch community center’s edge with about 20 other volunteers. Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2023 Think weeding, mowing, fertilizing, and other maintenance tasks that require attention before the frost hits. Wendy Vazquez, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Sep. 2023 And in a unique twist, the vineyard uses llamas to weed the fields. Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 22 Sep. 2023 And workers at Trader Joe’s and Barnes & Noble are weeding through the difficult process of negotiating their first contracts, each against a company with the time and money to drag things out. Diti Kohli, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2023
Noun
Other great reads Snoop Dogg’s apparent farewell to weed was all smoke and mirrors. Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2023 Stronger Soil: Leaf litter acts like mulch which assists in regulating soil temps while reducing compaction and keeping weeds at bay. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 16 Nov. 2023 Protecting the land from invasive weeds and mammalian pests is another important piece of the puzzle. Rina Diane Caballar, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2023 Anxious consumers have turned to weed and edibles for relief as treatments for their ailments have become harder to find. Andrea Petersen and Julie Wernau, WSJ, 26 Oct. 2023 Experts say residents should use mosquito repellent containing DEET or other chemicals, wear loose-fitting clothing, eliminate standing water around anything that holds water for more than a week and keep weeds, hedges and vines trimmed. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2023 Just ignore the bad dreams and go back to smoking elf weed. Rebecca Shaw, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023 This all-natural supplement boasts a blend of powerful herbs including maca root, tongkat ali, and of course, horny goat weed. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 5 Nov. 2023 Matthews’ speech discussed Nelson’s storied history in country music, the legend of him smoking weed in the White House, the origins of Farm Aid, the outlaw country movement, and much more. Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'weed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English wēod weed, herb; akin to Old Saxon wiod weed

Noun (2)

Middle English wede, from Old English wǣd, gewǣde; akin to Old Norse vāth cloth, clothing and perhaps to Lithuanian austi to weave

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of weed was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near weed

Cite this Entry

“Weed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/weed. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

weed

1 of 2 noun
: a plant that tends to grow thickly where it is not wanted and to choke out more desirable plants

weed

2 of 2 verb
1
: to remove weeds from
weed a garden
2
: to get rid of (something unwanted)
weed out the troublemakers
weeder noun

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