chaparral
noun
chap·ar·ral
ˌsha-pə-ˈral 
-ˈrel
1
: a thicket of dwarf evergreen oaks
broadly
: a dense impenetrable thicket of shrubs or dwarf trees
2
: an ecological community composed of shrubby plants adapted to dry summers and moist winters that occurs especially in southern California
Examples of chaparral in a Sentence
the rabbit darted into the chaparral
Recent Examples on the Web
An adventure among the mustangs, the chaparrals, the arroyos, the wide purple this and that.
—
Padgett Powell,
Harpers Magazine,
30 June 2026
As the Eaton and Palisades fires roared across the Altadena area and the coastal Santa Monica Mountains in January 2025, the flames were fueled in part by accumulations of bone-dry chaparral, brush and other vegetation.
—
Connor Sheets,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
Highlights include a pink-flowering chaparral mallow, rarely seen in gardens, a white sage valued by Native Americans and the buckwheat Sterman found in San Miguel Island, plus several new oaks.
—
Nicole Sours Larson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 June 2026
But a quick peek at the Trailforks app revealed this gem of a ride, an 8-mile loop climbing through grassland and chaparral, past a reservoir, over Conn Peak and back down Whiskey Ridge, with enough singletrack and elevation change to earn it.
—
Winston Ross,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for chaparral
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Padgett Powell,
Harpers Magazine,
30 June 2026
As the Eaton and Palisades fires roared across the Altadena area and the coastal Santa Monica Mountains in January 2025, the flames were fueled in part by accumulations of bone-dry chaparral, brush and other vegetation.
—
Connor Sheets,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
Highlights include a pink-flowering chaparral mallow, rarely seen in gardens, a white sage valued by Native Americans and the buckwheat Sterman found in San Miguel Island, plus several new oaks.
—
Nicole Sours Larson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 June 2026
But a quick peek at the Trailforks app revealed this gem of a ride, an 8-mile loop climbing through grassland and chaparral, past a reservoir, over Conn Peak and back down Whiskey Ridge, with enough singletrack and elevation change to earn it.
—
Winston Ross,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for chaparral
Cite this Entry
“Chaparral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaparral. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
chaparral
noun
chap·ar·ral
ˌshap-ə-ˈral
-ˈrel
1
: a thicket of dwarf evergreen oaks
also
: a dense thicket
2
: an ecological community that is found especially in parts of southern California and is composed of shrubby plants that grow well in dry sunny summers and moist winters
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