public land

noun

: land owned by a government
specifically : that part of the U.S. public domain subject to sale or disposal under the homestead laws

Examples of public land in a Sentence

the management of public lands The government will auction off 20 parcels of public land.
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.
Other public lands in the area have been closed as a precaution. — Ty Oneil, Arkansas Online, 26 June 2026 Those included culverts and other structures associated with rivers that might be used by trout, and that are close to public lands. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026 The nation's public lands include parks, trails and open spaces that encourage outdoor recreation and physical activity. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026 The horses will henceforth have their winter meets at Belmont and the huge plot of public land in South Ozone Park will have a new use and the top priority must be housing, housing, housing. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for public land

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of public land was in 1789

Rhymes for public land

See All Rhymes for public land

Browse Nearby Words

public knowledge
public land
public law
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Public land.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20land. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Legal Definition

public land

noun
: land owned by a government
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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