soil 1 of 3

noun (1)

Definition of soilnext
1
as in dirt
foul matter that mars the purity or cleanliness of something got some sort of soil on my white pants

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2
as in dung
solid matter discharged from an animal's alimentary canal the horse lifted its tail and deposited its soil on the grass

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soil

2 of 3

noun (2)

1
as in ground
the loose surface material in which plants naturally grow bought rich soil to plant flowers in

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2
as in land
the solid part of our planet's surface as distinguished from the sea and air happy to have soil under my feet after that long sea voyage

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soil

3 of 3

verb

ˈsȯi(-ə)l How to pronounce soil (audio)
as in to stain
to make dirty oil and grease soiled the mechanic's shirt

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 soil
Noun
The facility would use technology that heats woody material without burning it to produce biochar, a charcoal-like material that can be used to improve soil and store carbon, and other products. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026 Investigative work last week included demolishing a shed in the backyard and digging through soil. — Joe Holden, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
Seventh Generation, for example, recommends half a sheet for small or medium loads, one for large loads and two for extra-large or heavily soiled loads. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2026 Towards the end of the episode, Abby (Hall) and Andrew Borden (Hunnam) get very sick after eating spoiled oysters — projectile vomiting and soiling their undergarments in the dining room. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for soil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soil
  1. dirt
  2. dung
  3. ground
  4. land
  5. stain
  6. muck
  7. sand
  8. earth
Noun
  • Working in quick, gentle strokes, Abrams used her brush and sprayer to peel away dirt hiding the floral details on Eliza’s grave before moving to the next.
    — Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The other townsfolk speculate on his prowess, his package, and why The Fisherwoman has lost all the dirt on her face and is now positively glowing.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of dirt
Noun
  • During the first re-inspection, the inspector saw about 10 pieces of rodent dung under the air-conditioning unit, seven in the hallway by the back door and three under storage by the hallway bathroom.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In southern India, for example, villagers are allowing – and even paying – herders to use their land in exchange for dung, the natural fertilizer that farmers need to produce higher-value organic crops.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of dung
Noun
  • Electric flight enters policing Astro could give officers another way to monitor the university’s campus and surrounding grounds.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The network, along with MS NOW and Politico, won a preliminary injunction in federal court last week, a blow to Trump’s effort to bar the outlets from the White House grounds.
    — Scott Nover, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of ground
Noun
  • Especially if the ship is required to counter a mixture of threats from air, sea, and land.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • And the last independent country in that land before modern Israel, the one Rome conquered, was--wait for it--a Jewish nation.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of land
Verb
  • The armpits of the Quran shirt are stained with centuries-old sweat.
    — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In 2005, a vote-buying scheme known as Mensalão led to the conviction of senior PT figures and stained the party’s image.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of stain
Noun
  • Wolf has never sounded more grounded than with 10 toes down in the muck.
    — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
  • As feminists fought patriarchy’s attempt to render women vulnerable socially and leave us dependent on men for money and more, the all-too-human inevitability of vulnerability and dependence got lost in the muck.
    — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of muck
Noun
  • On muddy gravel between the smokestacks and the water, a forklift held what looked like an enormous sack of sand.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Without natural sand reaching the beaches, high tides and large surf have resulted in entire beaches being covered with water, cutting off access.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of sand
Noun
  • But the One Ring — the weapon that will reshape Middle-earth — is the true star, and the new peek at the third season revels in its creation.
    — Deborah Day, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • There is no working alternative to Starlink, which has put a massive constellation of low-earth satellites into orbit, and no direct competitor comes close.
    — Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of earth

Browse Nearby Words

soigné
soil
soilage
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Soil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soil. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on soil

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about soil

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