loam

noun

Definition of loamnext
as in topsoil
a type of soil that is good for growing plants

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of loam Is the soil a porous, well-draining loam, or a rocky clay that will be hard to dig in and harder to drain? — Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2026 Asparagus prefers soil with plenty of organic matter, and that's well-drained, with an almost sandy-loam consistency. — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 23 Feb. 2026 The soils, shaped by glacial activity, consist of sandy loam and glacial till, offering excellent drainage and contributing natural minerality. — Michael Johnson, Twin Cities, 23 Feb. 2026 But the conflict between Joe and Ted goes back further and is rooted in a deep loam of backstory that emerges bit by bit. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for loam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loam
  1. topsoil
  2. humus
  3. clay
  4. mud
  5. gravel
  6. sand
  7. earth
Noun
  • Crews are working six days a week on sod installation, new topsoil installation, aeration, seeding and other turf restoration, organizers said.
    — Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • But when drought struck Oklahoma and surrounding states, as drought regularly did, the topsoil dried out and blew away.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of topsoil
Noun
  • In garden beds, a light layer of shredded leaves acts as natural mulch, insulating roots and conserving soil moisture while breaking down into humus over time.
    — Pam Rosendal, Denver Post, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Plant seeds in neutral, well-draining soil rich with humus, and give it an inch of water per week.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of humus
Noun
  • The 25th-seeded Spaniard, who won the ATP 250 Chengdu Open in China last month, reached the second Masters final of his career after losing on clay at Monte Carlo in 2022.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • And yet, for a millennia after the fall of Rome, the world largely forgot about concrete, until, in the 18th century, an English mason found that mixing limestone and clay could form a paste that hardened underwater.
    — Sara Herschander, Vox, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of clay
Noun
  • The former taxi driver had been arrested three years earlier after police unearthed a mass grave in a forest ‌near the Indian Ocean town of Malindi, where his followers had been living in mud huts.
    — Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2026
  • In 2023, more than 400 bodies were exhumed from shallow graves on the 800-acre Chakama Ranch in coastal Kilifi County, where Mackenzie’s followers lived in mud huts, away from the scrutiny of local communities and authorities.
    — Evelyne Musambi, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of mud
Noun
  • On lap forty-nine, at the first chicane, Antonelli’s car narrowly missed Russell’s and swung off the course and into the gravel.
    — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
  • On muddy gravel between the smokestacks and the water, a forklift held what looked like an enormous sack of sand.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of gravel
Noun
  • On muddy gravel between the smokestacks and the water, a forklift held what looked like an enormous sack of sand.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Without natural sand reaching the beaches, high tides and large surf have resulted in entire beaches being covered with water, cutting off access.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of sand
Noun
  • But the One Ring — the weapon that will reshape Middle-earth — is the true star, and the new peek at the third season revels in its creation.
    — Deborah Day, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • There is no working alternative to Starlink, which has put a massive constellation of low-earth satellites into orbit, and no direct competitor comes close.
    — Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of earth

Browse Nearby Words

loafs
loam
loams
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Cite this Entry

“Loam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loam. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about loam

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