topsoil

noun

Definition of topsoilnext
as in loam

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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 topsoil If your lawn grass was already quite thin, topdressing with a thin layer of quality topsoil is recommended. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Sep. 2026 The weather phenomenon has been known to intensify the yearly Harmattan winds, which dry out topsoil and cause pods to fall. — Paige Bruton, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Apply a thin layer of compost and topsoil during active growing seasons to boost nutrients and improve drainage. — Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 29 Aug. 2026 Research after previous wildfires found that up to 34% of properties still contained hazardous contamination, such as heavy metals, even after the debris had been removed and the topsoil scraped away. — Andrew J. Whelton, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for topsoil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for topsoil
  1. loam
  2. humus
  3. clay
  4. gravel
  5. mud
  6. sand
  7. earth
Noun
  • Such fraudulence bore only poisoned fruit, swelling overseas bank accounts for the Manchurian candidates who were seeding duplicity into the loam of their nation’s imagination.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Given time enough, gravity will return those rocks to their long sleep in the loam.
    — Matt Seaton, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026
Definition of loam
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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

top-shelf
topsoil
topsoils
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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