pasture 1 of 2

noun

ˈpas-chər How to pronounce pasture (audio)
Definition of pasturenext
as in ranch
open land over which livestock may roam and feed horses grazing in a fenced pasture

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

pasture

2 of 2

verb

as in to graze
to feed on grass or herbs pasturing sheep on town lands was actually a cheaper alternative to mowing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 pasture
Noun
Measuring 40 feet wide and 13 feet tall, the piece combines the rolling pastures of Cornersville with silhouettes of the Great Smoky Mountains. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026 The farmhouse dates to the 17th century, but the road serving it wasn’t built until recently; for generations, the only way in or out was on foot, along the same mule paths used to ferry hay and timber down from higher pastures. — Winston Ross, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Verb
In Wisconsin, dairy farms are smaller, herds are smaller, and cows are usually sent out to pasture to graze in good weather, which is not easy to come by in Wisconsin. — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026 But, having the right formula for long-term success remains elusive for many, with Canoo, Fisker and Nikola all put out to pasture with bankruptcy filings. — Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pasture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pasture
  1. ranch
  2. graze
  3. yard
  4. pasturage
  5. prairie
Noun
  • Once the ranch opens, the program will be free and offered as an option for those who are Medicaid-eligible through partnering organizations throughout the state.
    — Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
  • Videos of World Cup tourists trying — and raving — about Taco Bell, ranch dressing, even gas station Twinkies, have become the most durable meme of this year’s tournament.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 29 June 2026
Definition of ranch
Verb
  • Hitting just below the knee or grazing the shin, the midi strikes the ideal balance of everyday ease and effortless polish.
    — Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 2 July 2026
  • Yet movies matter as an art form because the best ones graze our souls.
    — Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
Definition of graze
Noun
  • During first-half stoppage time, Mexicos’ César Montes received the ball inside the six-yard box, but Bellingham cleared what looked like a certain goal.
    — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Attracting birds can include a variety of approaches beyond adding bird feeders or placing a birdbath in your yard.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 5 July 2026
Definition of yard
Noun
  • Meanwhile, many of the same people were evicted from their houses as landowners used the crisis to clear off these human encumbrances and free their fields for more profitable pasturage.
    — Fintan O'Toole, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Here in rural Somalia, where about 50% of the people depend on animals for their livelihoods, the locusts are eating the pasturage.
    — NBC News, NBC News, 9 Feb. 2020
Definition of pasturage
Noun
  • There are flag sweaters and skate sneakers and prairie skirts; there are Cheyanne moccasins and Mennonite bonnets and the not-quite-holy Yankees baseball cap.
    — Faran Krentcil, InStyle, 1 July 2026
  • Royce Ben Jameson was arrested on suspicion of the offense of firing woods or prairie and third-degree criminal trespass.
    — Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of prairie

Browse Nearby Words

pasturages
pasture
pastured
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pasture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pasture. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on pasture

Nglish: Translation of pasture for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pasture

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
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
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All