weed

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈwēd 

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)

: marijuana

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

Synonyms

Noun (2)

• apparel
• attire
• clobber [British slang]
• clothes
• clothing
• costumery
• dress
• duds
• garments
• gear
• habiliment(s)
• habit [archaic]
• rags
• raiment
• rig
• rigging
• threads
• toggery
• togs
• vestiary
• vestments
• vesture
• wear
• wearables

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

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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

Phrases Containing weed

• grow like a weed
• joe-pye weed
• butterfly weed
• the weed
• weed out
• Klamath weed
• rattlesnake weed
• dill weed

• grow like a weed
• joe-pye weed
• butterfly weed
• the weed
• weed out
• Klamath weed
• rattlesnake weed
• dill weed

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Kids Definition

weed

1 of 2 noun

ˈwēd 

: 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