as in cultivating
to work by plowing, sowing, and raising crops on
farmers tilling the soil from sunup to sunset
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 tilling
Wormser suggests tilling the ground and covering it with black plastic to deprive existing grass and weeds of sunlight.
—
Ann Hinga Klein, Martha Stewart, 28 Apr. 2026
The film mostly exists as an exercise in further tilling personal earth that Romvari previously traversed in her short films.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Additionally, tilling wet soil can do more harm than good by creating dense soil layers and deep ruts.
—Nora Doonan, Hartford Courant, 4 Apr. 2026
Aggressive turning or tilling harms microorganisms, kills beneficial insects and earthworms, increases erosion, removes air pockets, releases carbon into the atmosphere and brings dormant weed seeds to the surface, where conditions are perfect for their growth.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
The grass and roots can then be raked out after tilling the soil and before planting flowers.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2026
Prep the planting spot by tilling the soil to a depth of 10 to 12 inches.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Mar. 2026
Data center details Heavy construction machines began surveying and tilling the earth at 501 North Bly Road in November, much to the surprise of Bly Road residents, who say they weren’t warned by the city.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
Tractors pass by, tilling the soil.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Jan. 2026
Ann Hinga Klein, Martha Stewart, 28 Apr. 2026
The film mostly exists as an exercise in further tilling personal earth that Romvari previously traversed in her short films.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Additionally, tilling wet soil can do more harm than good by creating dense soil layers and deep ruts.
—Nora Doonan, Hartford Courant, 4 Apr. 2026
Aggressive turning or tilling harms microorganisms, kills beneficial insects and earthworms, increases erosion, removes air pockets, releases carbon into the atmosphere and brings dormant weed seeds to the surface, where conditions are perfect for their growth.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
The grass and roots can then be raked out after tilling the soil and before planting flowers.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2026
Prep the planting spot by tilling the soil to a depth of 10 to 12 inches.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Mar. 2026
Data center details Heavy construction machines began surveying and tilling the earth at 501 North Bly Road in November, much to the surprise of Bly Road residents, who say they weren’t warned by the city.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
Tractors pass by, tilling the soil.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tilling
Verb
-
After the war, Mojtaba Khamenei may try to strengthen his own position by cultivating that younger cohort.—
Hamidreza Azizi,
Time,
9 May 2026
-
The source argued that while Iran spent decades building and cultivating proxy networks across the Middle East, Western governments largely avoided investing in organized anti-regime infrastructure inside Iran itself.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The signature treatment is the dotsho, or hot stone bath, a ritual locals have practiced for generations to ease joint pain, arthritis, and the toll of long winters spent farming.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 May 2026
-
Introduced in the 1970s, Roundup quickly became the top-selling herbicide in the United States and integral to farming.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Leeks also have the same growing needs as onions, and planting them in the same bed can simplify your gardening tasks.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 May 2026
-
Rather than keeping onions and sage side by side, try planting onions near carrots, chamomile, strawberries, lettuce, nightshades, or brassicas.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
The new limits on harvesting energy from the V6 to charge the battery on the move should reduce the potential for huge speed differentials like the one that caused Oliver Bearman’s crash in Japan, and energy management was (thankfully) not much of a topic this weekend.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
4 May 2026
-
Types of Culinary Thyme Many gardeners treat culinary thyme as an annual, buying pre-started plants each spring, harvesting them throughout the summer and early fall, and then composting them at season's end.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Pitching coach Ruben Niebla is tending to a family matter and is expected to return to the team for tomorrow’s series finale here.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 May 2026
-
Another adjustment on set was with his daughter played by Toscano tending to follow his hands as Insolera communicated using sign language, rather than look into his eyes.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tilling. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
