steppes

noun

plural of steppe
as in plains
a broad area of level or rolling treeless country nomads have long grazed yaks on the steppes of Mongolia

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 steppes Similar trends have played out in Central Asian steppes and South American plains. — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 1 June 2026 Longer-running hiking trips take you everywhere from Western Greenland to the sea cliffs of the Faroe Islands, the steppes of Mongolia, or the Tien Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan. — The Editors, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026 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 Even today, its influence stretches from the steppes of Kazakhstan to the far reaches of low Earth orbit. — Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 15 Feb. 2026 Rather than having to find their own sales channels, participating farmers working off tiny plots on mountain steppes can sell their corn to the company at a set price for unified processing, before the corn is sold online and to major distributors. — Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026 All 40 rooms in the low-lying, two-story building look onto the park’s iconic towers, with large windows to catch Patagonia’s expansive steppes and skies. — Sarah Marshall, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026 Unlike Argentina’s open steppes, Chilean Patagonia hugs the Pacific coast and is carved by glacial valleys covered in with dense vegetation. — Eric Sheets, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 2025 The gene expression in the muscle tissue suggested a predominance of slow-twitch muscle fibers indicating the mammoth's muscles were built for stamina, ideal for long, steady travel across the cold, expansive steppes. — Jay Kakade december 03, New Atlas, 3 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steppes
  1. plains
  2. prairies
  3. grasslands
  4. savannas
Noun
  • That being said, Spain’s expansive rural plains and coastal viewpoints are well poised for good viewing.
    — Catherine Tansey, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 July 2026
  • The pampa — vast, treeless plains — and desert landscape has changed dramatically in recent decades, starting with the great copper boom of the 1990s.
    — Cristina Dorador, The Dial, 14 July 2026
Definition of plains
Noun
  • Yes, a large portion of the state is made up of prairies and farmland, but the Black Hills in southwestern South Dakota are home to a handful of relatively affordable mountain towns.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2026
  • Despite the first season ending with the Ingalls leaving their Kansas home, the cast won’t be leaving the Canadian prairies quite yet.
    — Mariah Alanskas, PEOPLE, 11 July 2026
Definition of prairies
Noun
  • Also known as Bombus auricomus, the black-and-gold bumblebee is native to North America and builds below ground nests in the grasslands of Illinois.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
  • An unusually dry and hot winter has created dangerously flammable conditions in forests and grasslands across the West.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 30 June 2026
Definition of grasslands
Noun
  • The new property is nestled inside a 45,000-acre private conservancy with open savannahs and waterholes nearby.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 8 July 2026
  • This includes savannahs and shrublands.
    — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 17 June 2026
Definition of savannas

Browse Nearby Words

stepped up
steppes
stepping
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Steppes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steppes. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on steppes

Nglish: Translation of steppes for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dog days

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All