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Recent Examples of defoliate
In addition to being unsightly, the caterpillars can partially defoliate and weaken the plants.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
30 May 2026
While a small population of potato beetles won’t do much damage, large infestations can defoliate potato stems, weaken plants, and make potatoes produce fewer spuds.
—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Dec. 2025
The caterpillars feed and defoliate boxwood plants.
—
Chris McKeown,
The Enquirer,
30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defoliate
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
30 May 2026
While a small population of potato beetles won’t do much damage, large infestations can defoliate potato stems, weaken plants, and make potatoes produce fewer spuds.
—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Dec. 2025
The caterpillars feed and defoliate boxwood plants.
—
Chris McKeown,
The Enquirer,
30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defoliate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defoliate
Verb
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All the specimens were skinned first, and the team removed any excess flesh and internal organs.
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Sanders, along with two of his daughters, skins the fish straightaway.
Verb
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Body cam video from the officer shows the large dog, wearing a Knicks T-shirt, barked loudly at police when Marseille first opened her door.
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This could include sniffing around more than usual or barking and growling at odd places like piles of leaves.
Verb
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Recipe information If using ¾ cup hulled barley, rinse in a mesh sieve under running water.
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The corn is dried, hulled, and ground to create the coarse meal known as grits.
Verb
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Meanwhile, working one at a time, cut kernels off 4 large ears of corn, husked, and transfer to a large bowl.
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Just husk the corn, remove the silk and grill those cobs naked so they’re lightly charred, sweet, slightly crisp with a roasty popcorn taste.
Verb
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The end came with England on 50-0, with Stokes flaying Foulkes to Mitchell at mid-on.
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Dwight grabbed my arm, wrenching my hand out of my pocket, flaying it like a fish, pulling me along.
Verb
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Regionally, the Iranian regime was at its weakest in decades, denuded of antiair defenses.
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Although gulf fritillaries can denude passion vines of all foliage, the leaves quickly grow back, and fruit development is not affected.
Verb
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Despite a fragile ceasefire reached in October that paused the heaviest fighting between Israel and the Hamas militant group, Israel continues to carry out near daily strikes and shelling across the coastal enclave.
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In eastern Ukraine, Orthodox parishes that are not part of the Russian Orthodox faith have been damaged or destroyed due to shelling from Russian missiles.
Verb
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Dubbed Camp Meeker Cabin, the project strips mountain living back to its quieter essentials, while still embracing contemporary environmental design.
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Errors of execution and discipline forced by the relentlessness of a French team stripped of many of its leading players meant New Zealand was unable to secure its win until the final minutes.
Cite this Entry
“Defoliate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defoliate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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