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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1
as in ground
the loose surface material in which plants naturally grow
bought rich soil to plant flowers in
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as in to stain
to make dirty
oil and grease soiled the mechanic's shirt
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Recent Examples of soil
Alejandra Martinez, Austin American-Statesman, 9 Dec. 2024
Plant seeds, for example, don’t only need soil, sun and water, but also have cells that are assessing the outside world and decide when the time is right for the new plant to begin emerging.
—Joe Spring, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2024
Evan Bush, NBC News, 4 Nov. 2024
For dishes that are lightly soiled and don't contain food with a high viscosity, Vuong recommends soaking the dishes for 5-10 minutes in hot, soapy water.
—Claire Hoppe, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for soil 
Noun
Pitched as a cost-effective way to improve soil fertility, biosolids have been applied to land in the U.S. since the 1970s.
—Alejandra Martinez, Austin American-Statesman, 9 Dec. 2024
Plant seeds, for example, don’t only need soil, sun and water, but also have cells that are assessing the outside world and decide when the time is right for the new plant to begin emerging.
—Joe Spring, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
So in 1929, the president of the National League required umpires to start soiling balls for better grip, according to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 4 Nov. 2024
For dishes that are lightly soiled and don't contain food with a high viscosity, Vuong recommends soaking the dishes for 5-10 minutes in hot, soapy water.
—Claire Hoppe, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for soil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soil
Verb
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In conducting the study, the team also developed a new technique to stain collagen fibers to analyze their impact on the skin’s mechanics.Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024
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This particular query came (stop it) during a recent interview with Variety where Daniel Craig asked if a shot of sheets stained with semen was kept in the final cut’s establishing scene.David Opie, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Instead, Walz seems to have little to say about factory farming dirtying the state’s waterways.Kenny Torrella, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
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Garments can be dirtied again by the elements if air-dried outside.Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 July 2024
Verb
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Mannie then interjected that social media has a habit of mucking things up.Angel Diaz, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2024
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No need to muck a barn or toss a bale of hay to wear one of the autumn'sbiggest trends — workwear is no longer for work’s sake (at least not exclusively).Aemilia Madden, refinery29.com, 21 Oct. 2024
Verb
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But the task has been performed so many times that dust and metal from the robot’s fingers have blackened the edges.James Somers, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024
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The fire burned for 64 days, blackening 429,603 acres in Butte and Tehama counties and destroying 709 homes and other structures.Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Soil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soil. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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