strip mine

noun

: a mine that is worked from the earth's surface by the stripping of overburden
especially : a coal mine situated along the outcrop of a flat dipping bed
strip-mine
ˈstrip-ˌmīn How to pronounce strip mine (audio)
verb
strip miner noun

Examples of strip mine in a Sentence

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.
The viewer floats over slums, a strip mine, an artisanal sulfur mine. — Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2023 The trucks had already made their first bauxite delivery of the day to the port and were returning to the strip mines for more. — Rachel Chason and Chloe Sharrock, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Apr. 2023 This part of the country used to have a reputation for its lignite strip mines and heavy pollution. — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025 Some counties have found success clearing land for large developments on former strip mine sites. — Kristina P. Brant, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for strip mine

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of strip mine was in 1926

Rhymes for strip mine

See All Rhymes for strip mine

Browse Nearby Words

strip mill
strip mine
strip miner
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Strip mine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strip%20mine. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

strip mine

noun
: a mine that is worked from the earth's surface by the stripping away of covering material
strip-mine verb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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