as in woods
a dense growth of trees and shrubs covering a large area
the endless forest that the first European settlers encountered
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Recent Examples of forests
Folktales are filled with people fighting to survive in forests, steppes, and deserts, and evading and outwitting the wild beasts that dwell within them.
—
Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
The beautiful white-sand beaches along the island's 75 miles of coastline are undoubtedly a large part of its appeal, as are its rain forests and waterfalls.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2026
But amidst said lots and open spaces are acres of marsh and flooded forests, and the Audubon Louisiana Nature Center stands apart as a place to interpret all this fecundity.
—Outside, 17 Feb. 2026
Coyotes also manage urban deer populations — a critical ecosystem function because ballooning deer herds can decimate forests, stunt plant growth and contribute to invasive species influxes.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 17 Feb. 2026
Principal photography is currently underway in the boreal forests of the Laurentians, Quebec, with Comte due back on set this Saturday for a final eight days of shooting, following his trip to Berlin for the world premiere of Paradise.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, mining drove the loss of about 370,000 hectares (roughly 914,000 acres) of Indonesian forests between 2001 and 2020 — more than in any other country — according to an analysis by the World Resources Institute.
—ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
Picking out forests and planets across the tunnels.
—Hazlitt, 17 Feb. 2026
The Forest Service now is shifting the responsibility for cleanups to individual forests.
—Rachel Becker, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
The beautiful white-sand beaches along the island's 75 miles of coastline are undoubtedly a large part of its appeal, as are its rain forests and waterfalls.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2026
But amidst said lots and open spaces are acres of marsh and flooded forests, and the Audubon Louisiana Nature Center stands apart as a place to interpret all this fecundity.
—Outside, 17 Feb. 2026
Coyotes also manage urban deer populations — a critical ecosystem function because ballooning deer herds can decimate forests, stunt plant growth and contribute to invasive species influxes.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 17 Feb. 2026
Principal photography is currently underway in the boreal forests of the Laurentians, Quebec, with Comte due back on set this Saturday for a final eight days of shooting, following his trip to Berlin for the world premiere of Paradise.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, mining drove the loss of about 370,000 hectares (roughly 914,000 acres) of Indonesian forests between 2001 and 2020 — more than in any other country — according to an analysis by the World Resources Institute.
—ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
Picking out forests and planets across the tunnels.
—Hazlitt, 17 Feb. 2026
The Forest Service now is shifting the responsibility for cleanups to individual forests.
—Rachel Becker, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forests
Noun
-
Oseguera Cervantes and at least two bodyguards fled toward cabins in the pine woods outside of Tapalpa, Trevilla Trejo said.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Troops established a perimeter around the compound, and later found the drug lord hiding in nearby woods.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Many of these flowering trees are naturally found in the understory of mature woodlands and tolerate shade.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The forests are marked by sparse conifer stands, woodlands, herbaceous vegetation, and unvegetated barrens that dominate the transition to Arctic tundra.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forests. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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