Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defoliate
Thielen noted that the three St. Louis County wildfires were zero percent contained as of early Tuesday afternoon, and that the dry and windy conditions Tuesday and Wednesday are conducive to wildfire spread in an area heavily defoliated by the spruce budworm.
—
Katie Rohman, Twin Cities, 13 May 2025
This bright red insect can severely defoliate these lilies.
—Pamm Cooper, Hartford Courant, 10 May 2025
Affected trees can be completely defoliated, giving a wintry appearance in summer.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Mar. 2025
Only the Box Tree Moth caterpillars will defoliate the plants.
—Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 10 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for defoliate
Katie Rohman, Twin Cities, 13 May 2025
This bright red insect can severely defoliate these lilies.
—Pamm Cooper, Hartford Courant, 10 May 2025
Affected trees can be completely defoliated, giving a wintry appearance in summer.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Mar. 2025
Only the Box Tree Moth caterpillars will defoliate the plants.
—Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 10 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for defoliate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defoliate
Verb
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Parish skins the leg quarters — frying up the exteriors for cracklins — and smokes them before a three-hour confit.—
Matthew Odam,
Austin American Statesman,
25 July 2025
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Morgan’s mother, who could skin a deer in two minutes with nothing more than a golf ball and a piece of string, held the business together.—
Belinda Luscombe,
Time,
24 July 2025
Verb
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Maybe your own dogs will even bark at their TV counterparts or try pawing at the screen.—
Margherita Bassi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
21 July 2025
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In addition to the light-changing bombs that most in the crowd waved throughout the night, the crowd also, well, barked at him often between songs.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
18 July 2025
Verb
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To hull a strawberry: Grab a sharp paring knife with your dominant hand, gripping the blade with your index finger and thumb, and leave about 1 inch poking out.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 June 2025
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Uses include: Blend hulled seeds with oil to make homemade tahini sauce Put them in a vegetable slaw Sprinkle on to add an Asian twist to your recipes. 4.—
Nancy LeBrun,
Verywell Health,
11 June 2025
Verb
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Examples include chopping bee, husking bee, logging bee, quilting bee, house- or barn-raising bee, sewing bee, spinning be, and, ultimately, spelling bee.—
Richard Lederer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2025
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Ingredients 4 ears fresh yellow corn, husked, silks removed 2 tsp.—
Julia Levy,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2023
Verb
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These include thinning fabric, stretching or sagging, holes, flaying, and heavy pilling.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Southern Living,
1 July 2025
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Stripped to the bone and flayed by her ugly experiences, both during and for years after, Lidia is emotionally naked, unable even to ask for or accept help.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Verb
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Trash burning and water shortages are a worsening blight, while the construction of upscale villas has denuded vegetation and exacerbated a perennial flooding problem.—
Charlie Campbell,
TIME,
17 Mar. 2025
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During Trump’s first term, the Republicans’ feed-the-rich Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 denuded the tax base, causing revenues as a percentage of G.D.P. to fall.—
John Cassidy,
The New Yorker,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The initial salvos were followed by what Thailand described as airstrikes on military targets in Cambodia, as Bangkok accused Phnom Penh of shelling and killing civilians.—
Britt Clennett,
ABC News,
28 July 2025
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Pass the time shelling on its pristine beaches or swimming in the sparkling waters.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
28 July 2025
Verb
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The firm has built a reputation on nurturing consumer brands rather than stripping them for parts, with a portfolio of lifestyle brands that have managed to retain their identity while scaling globally.—
Erik Matuszewski,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
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The House, by an 89-57 vote, largely along party lines, instructed its conference committee members to keep the lottery stripped of its funding.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defoliate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defoliate. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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