loam

noun

Definition of loamnext
as in topsoil
a type of soil that is good for growing plants

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 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 Diocletian Ritual, comprising a salt scrub, cleansing mud wrap, and massage, is both invigorating and restorative.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The 1983 movie, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, portrays the fight as gritty and grounded, taking place during a rainstorm where mud flies as fast as fists.
    — Jenelle Riley, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of mud
Noun
  • In real-world tests, the hand crawled across 14 different surfaces including smooth floors, metal grates, grass, and gravel.
    — Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 8 Oct. 2026
  • For example, a gravel art installation on the roof of a lower floor allows guests in higher floors and on the roof to see it.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of gravel
Noun
  • Outside, Casa Marina’s 1,100 feet of private beach, lined with loungers and framed by two piers, is the most coveted slice of sand on the island—a true beach scene in a town where rocky shores are the norm.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • On Monday, workers hauled out a 200-pound piece of equipment that was ruined by the saltwater and sand carried in on the high tides.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of sand
Noun
  • Delphi sits above a geologic vent, an X from which noxious gases escaped the earth, corrupting the minds of women who inhaled and pronounced their prophecies.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Microsoft makes a big investment, and when the company’s innovative earth-shaking ChatGPT becomes a sensation Altman changes to goals and goes for profit.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of earth

Browse Nearby Words

loafs
loam
loams
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Loam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loam. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on loam

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about loam

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

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

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All