deforestation

noun

de·​for·​es·​ta·​tion (ˌ)dē-ˌfȯr-ə-ˈstā-shən How to pronounce deforestation (audio)
-ˌfär-
: the action or process of clearing of forests
also : the state of having been cleared of forests

Examples of deforestation in a Sentence

the deforestation of the island
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
At a time when public debt as a share of GDP has risen to its highest level since the pandemic, Lula cited his achievements in lowering poverty rates, as well as reducing unemployment, illiteracy, and deforestation to record lows. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 26 Oct. 2026 Meanwhile, Lula will play a leading global role in climate change mitigation; deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon dropped by a record 42% in the year to July. — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026 The annihilation of the megafauna reshaped carbon and methane flows; deforestation helped to postpone the next ice age; industrialization burned primeval forests. — Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026 On a near-weekly basis, Landsat 9 delivers observations of everything from deforestation to water quality and crop growth. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deforestation

Word History

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deforestation was in 1874

Rhymes for deforestation

See All Rhymes for deforestation

Browse Nearby Words

De Forest
deforestation
deforested
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deforestation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deforestation. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

deforestation

noun
de·​for·​es·​ta·​tion (ˌ)dē-ˌfȯr-ə-ˈstā-shən How to pronounce deforestation (audio)
-ˌfär-
: the action or process of clearing an area of forests
also : the state of having been cleared of forests
deforest
(ˈ)dē-ˈfȯr-əst How to pronounce deforestation (audio)
-ˈfär-
verb

More from Merriam-Webster on deforestation

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about deforestation

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