subsoil

noun

Definition of subsoilnext
as in substratum

Related 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 subsoil Edgewater’s coastal subsoil is similar to that of the barrier island. — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026 Its manganese-rich granite subsoils, combined with traditionally longer fermentations and macerations, produce wines with genuine cellar potential. — Jill Barth, Forbes.com, 26 Feb. 2026 Gro-Low sumac struggles like most other plants if the planting bed consists of rock-hard subsoil. — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026 Venezuela legally retained subsoil ownership but granted or sold broad concessions to foreign operators, such as Royal Dutch-Shell. — Skip York, The Conversation, 12 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for subsoil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subsoil
  1. substratum
  2. sediment
  3. silt
  4. alluvium
  5. topsoil
  6. loam
  7. marl
  8. loess
Noun
  • This has led to the fairly obvious conclusion that this substratum of Disney’s movie-making is nothing more than brand promotion and capital gain.
    — Gregory Nussen, Deadline, 20 May 2025
  • This was a copy of Mikhail’s unpublished autobiography, Leila explained, the substratum to his monumental Histoire de Baalbek’s six editions.
    — Youmna Melhem Chamieh, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Definition of substratum
Noun
  • Unlike Lake Michigan, debris and garbage settle along the riverbed and near the banks, forcing divers to search through sediment and obstacles while currents continue to move beneath the surface.
    — Darius Johnson, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Using mechanisms scientists are still trying to understand, the cilia wave around to generate fast-moving vortices of water that circulate oxygen to the coral’s outer tissues, in addition to helping keep the colonies free of sediment.
    — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of sediment
Noun
  • Operating continuously beneath complex sub-river geology of riverbed silt and sand, the shield machine operated without intermediate access shafts.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 30 July 2026
  • The water drew back from the house, left a thick, stinking silt across the floor.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
Definition of silt
Noun
  • What used to be open water was heading towards alluvium, and oblivion.
    — Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Mar. 2026
  • At some point, alluvium buried the entire tusk, possibly from major storm flooding.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Aug. 2024
Definition of alluvium
Noun
  • The topsoil may be dry, but below the surface, the soil may be moist.
    — Lauren David, Southern Living, 12 July 2026
  • Once in the proper gear, Adams recommends removing the top two inches of topsoil from gardens, where the highest concentration of contaminants will settle after a fire.
    — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of topsoil
Noun
  • Given time enough, gravity will return those rocks to their long sleep in the loam.
    — Matt Seaton, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026
  • Loamy and sandy loams are the ideal soil type.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 31 May 2026
Definition of loam
Noun
  • Freshman Ben Smith became the first NCAA outdoor champion for Oregon in the shot put since Dean Crouser (1982) with a marl of 69-0 1/2.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 June 2026
  • Its striking blue-green hues and clarity—allowing visibility of 20 to 30 feet—are due to minimal organic runoff and calcium-rich marl sediment from its glacial origins.
    — Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 21 May 2026
Definition of marl
Noun
  • The base played a critical role in national defense, housing a command bunker, planted deep into the regional loess, that was designed to withstand a nuclear blast.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
  • The Rhône's predominantly granite soils versus Walla Walla's basalt bedrock, riverbed cobbles, and windblown loess.
    — Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of loess

Browse Nearby Words

subsociety
subsoil
subsoils
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Subsoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subsoil. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

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

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

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
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All