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as in land
the solid part of our planet's surface as distinguished from the sea and air at the first sound of gunfire we hit the dirt

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
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as in dung
solid matter discharged from an animal's alimentary canal tread carefully, as there's cow dirt all over the pasture

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 dirt To remove stains: Sweep or vacuum the floor to remove loose dirt and debris from the linoleum. Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2025 And third, the team lacked the technological tools to accurately date the tools, plant remains, and layers of dirt. Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 26 Feb. 2025 The stone fireplace was brought to life by removing decades of dirt and ash. Wendy Goodman, Curbed, 25 Feb. 2025 The thought of anyone else patrolling that patch of dirt may be impossible for a generation of Astros fans to accept. Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dirt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirt
Noun
  • In addition to being found in soil, small amounts of heavy metals can be spotted naturally in the environment, including in food products, due to air, water, and soil exposure, according to the Girl Scouts.
    Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
  • Since the onset of Israel’s war against Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces engaged in cross-border skirmishes with Hezbollah – including ground operations on Lebanese soil – until a ceasefire deal was struck late last year.
    Greg Norman, Fox News, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Here’s more from my seriously unserious conversation with Alva about the fictitious land deal (edited for clarity and brevity).
    Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Before this administration, no senior American official would have suggested that the U.S. should take anything but a leadership role in facing a major threat — let alone the greatest land war on the European continent since World War II.
    Ian Kelly, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • My boots, parked neatly outside, were now buried in muck, along with my pride and my chances of a comfy day on the bike.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Feb. 2025
  • Rory McIlroy lifted it out of the muck yet somehow controlled the 88-yard shot so well the ball caught the back of the green and spun back to 6 inches from the pin.
    Brody Miller, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Here’s some of what the inspector found: About nine pieces of rodent dung in the lobby behind the drink station counter.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 28 Jan. 2025
  • Hundreds of barefoot pilgrims undertook a parikrama one morning, picking around heaps of cow dung dotting the road.
    Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 5 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Place landscape cloth on level ground to block weed growth, and construct walls at least 12 inches deep and at least 20 inches to grow root vegetables.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Accommodations for this ticket include the choice of either a four-stateroom yacht or four-bedroom villa with access to the festival grounds for three nights.
    Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 1 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Maryland has made great strides in restoring underwater grasses in the Upper Bay, but inflows of raw sewage have to be hampering that progress.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 24 Feb. 2025
  • How raw sewage in Florida developed a promising vaccine Taste-Off: The best mild Italian sausage in markets — and the duds 6 great cookies to make without eggs But do people on GLP-1s really need specific foods or snacks advertised as packed with protein?
    Lisa Jarvis, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Even those Republicans who are wary of his volatile leadership style, penchant for vulgarity and willingness to violate conservative orthodoxies are generally reluctant to air those criticisms publicly.
    Mike Lillis, The Hill, 21 Dec. 2024
  • Corbet’s awkward forcing of his characters into his conceptual framework leads to absurdities and vulgarities—not least in the depiction of László’s first and only Black acquaintance, a laborer named Gordon (Isaach De Bankolé), as a heroin addict.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Hackman was discovered in the mud room, adjacent to the kitchen, with his sunglasses at his side.
    Zack Sharf, Variety, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Vacuum and spot-shampoo the carpeting and carpeted floor mats using a home rug-cleaning spray to avoid permanent stains from ground-in mud or road salt.
    Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirt. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.

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