badland

noun

bad·​land ˈbad-ˌland 

: a region marked by intricate erosional sculpturing, scanty vegetation, and fantastically formed hills

—usually used in plural

Examples of badland in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Park visitors, much to their delight, often encounter the horses while driving or hiking in the rolling, colorful badlands where a young, future President Theodore Roosevelt hunted and engaged in cattle ranching in the 1880s in what was then Dakota Territory. —Jack Dura, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2024

The 70,000-acre park protects a landscape in transition, where the great plains meet the canyons of the badlands. —Graham Averill, Outside Online, 16 Sep. 2024

But the badlands of neighboring North Dakota were more consequential for American history. —Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 4 Sep. 2024

Picture: rugged mountains, dense forests, deep canyons, mesmerizing badlands, and blue-ribbon rivers. —Outside Online, 5 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

badland

noun

bad·​land ˈbad-ˌland 

: a region where natural forces have worn away the soft rocks into sharp and complicated shapes and where plant life is scarce

—usually used in plural