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
  • 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
  • Lundberg’s grandfather came to California in 1937, leaving behind the Midwest where the rain had quit for years and the plowed topsoil had blown away.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of topsoil
Noun
  • 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
  • This includes decaying plant and animal residues, humus, and living microorganisms.
    — Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 8 June 2026
Definition of humus
Noun
  • Daffodils, alliums, crocuses and snowdrops are somewhat more tolerant of clay soil than other bulbs.
    — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
  • For three years, as Israeli bombs made ruins of the ground, some of the trees and vines had clung to life in the spongy layer of clay below.
    — Ghada Abdulfattah, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of clay
Noun
  • The ground level would sink, the water would seep up, and the horses’ hooves would trudge through mud.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • American and its allies must get private software developers in the mud with soldiers.
    — Dan Driscoll, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of mud
Noun
  • Conversely, modern concrete is subject to irreversible decay, a form of disintegration owing to its formation as a composite of cement and aggregate materials, such as gravel and sand.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • But this year, portions of the river have been transformed into stretches of dry sand and gravel, while farmers have kept hayfields green by running their wells and pumps.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of gravel
Noun
  • What to do nearby Naples's famously soft sand is only a block and a half away.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
  • More than a century later, remains believed to be from the ship have continued to emerge from the sand.
    — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of sand
Noun
  • The best way to care for the earth is to fall in love with nature.
    — 9 Team, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Crockett's ex-Dem colleague goes scorched earth after endorsement snub.
    — , FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 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 5 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on loam

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about loam

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