wetland

noun

wet·​land ˈwet-ˌland How to pronounce wetland (audio)
-lənd
: land or areas (such as marshes or swamps) that are covered often intermittently with shallow water or have soil saturated with moisture
usually used in plural

Example Sentences

the conservation board has not always been rigorous in protecting the wetlands from development
Recent Examples on the Web The New York TimesThe Independent 5 Supreme Court cuts reach of Clean Water Act The Supreme Court on Thursday reduced the Clean Water Act's reach with a 5-4 ruling saying only wetlands directly connected to a body of water qualified for protection. Harold Maass, The Week, 26 May 2023 During oral arguments in October, several members of the court's conservative majority questioned the standard the EPA uses to determine if a wetland is subject to federal permitting requirements and oversight. John Fritze, USA TODAY, 25 May 2023 The property covers 237 acres of grasslands, woods and wetlands on the north side of Milwaukee. Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 14 May 2023 That raises risks that oil and other pollutants will leak into the ocean and travel to shore and smother wetlands, particularly sensitive salt marshes along the northern Gulf Coast. Hiroko Tabuchi, New York Times, 8 May 2023 Drivers on Highway 37, the narrow and chronically congested commuter route through fragile North Bay wetlands, could see grinding rush-hour trips between I-80 in Solano County and Highway 101 in Marin County cut at least in half by a project that will widen a key stretch within just a few years. Jessica Flores, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 Apr. 2023 Splashes from debris plummeting into wetlands can be seen on multiple sides of the launchpad for 10 or more seconds after the launch. Christian Davenport, Washington Post, 21 Apr. 2023 According to Outdoor Alabama, the American alligator is the only species of alligator in Alabama, and its population is typically larger in the southern half of the state, in wetlands and natural lakes. William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, 20 Apr. 2023 This is far from the first time that Northern Europe’s bogs—wetlands made up of decayed plant matter known as peat—have produced impressive archaeological finds. Carolyn Hagler, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wetland.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1669, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wetland was in 1669

Dictionary Entries Near wetland

Cite this Entry

“Wetland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wetland. Accessed 4 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

wetland

noun
wet·​land ˈwet-ˌland How to pronounce wetland (audio)
: land or areas (as marshes or swamps) having much soil moisture
usually used in plural

More from Merriam-Webster on wetland

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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