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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

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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 Vinegar is a great all-purpose cleaner and can cut through soap scum and dirt and fight stains. Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 20 July 2025 The road narrowed into a dirt track, and David slowed down. Literary Hub, 18 July 2025 In areas that receive regular foot traffic, simply spreading a load of gravel over dirt will invariably lead to problems down the road. Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 July 2025 Eldora Speedway has long been one of the top dirt tracks in the country. Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for dirt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirt
Noun
  • Compost is an all-purpose, slow-release soil amendment that provides a wide range of nutrients to plants while improving the health and structure of the soil.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 July 2025
  • The book deftly expresses both grief for all of the violence perpetrated on American soil and a profound love for all of the beings that inhabit this continent.
    The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 23 July 2025
Noun
  • There’s a certain romanticism that lies at the heart of these remarkable gins, something conjured, perhaps, by that dramatic meeting of land and sea.
    Camille Berry, Vogue, 15 July 2025
  • Since the end of the Cold War, these munitions have given the U.S. near-total dominance on land, sea, and air.
    Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • Dredging would have removed about four to five feet of muck and other material from the floor of the lake, increasing its depth to 12 feet in some places.
    Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2025
  • And years of exposure to heat, chemicals, and environmental muck can also strip away some of your hair’s natural gloss, leaving it looking duller, Dr. Lo Sicco notes.
    Erica Sloan, SELF, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • Access to clean cooking equipment in sub-Saharan Africa continues to lag behind other regions, with four in five people using wood, charcoal, or dung as fuel over open fires or using basic stoves, according to an International Energy Agency report.
    Paige Bruton, semafor.com, 23 July 2025
  • When not elbow-deep in dino dung or outrunning raptors, Laura Dern's heartfelt performance in Jurassic Park shows why women really deserve to inherit the Earth — and all of the acting awards.
    Huntley Woods, EW.com, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • The Trump administration launched an investigation into pharmaceutical imports in mid-April, setting the stage to impose tariffs on national security grounds.
    David Goldman, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
  • Still, the fracas surrounding rookie Shemar Stewart’s contract covers new ground.
    Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 24 July 2025
Noun
  • Without those funds, the back half of the project — meant to protect $1.4 billion of infrastructure and prevent sewage overflow and power outages — has been stuck in financial limbo.
    Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 31 July 2025
  • Danson is a deeply committed and longtime environmentalist and ocean conservation activist, co-founding the American Oceans Campaign (AOC) in 1987 to alert Americans to the life-threatening hazards created by oil spills, offshore developments, toxic wastes, sewage pollution and other ocean abuses.
    Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2025
Noun
  • The fastidious formality of Monsieur Gustave H. exists right alongside his matter-of-fact vulgarity, a combination that Fiennes nails with astounding precision.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
  • Robert Rhoads, Oakland Park Politicians and vulgarities Your front-page article on the use of expletives by U.S.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 7 July 2025
Noun
  • It's typically derived from natural sources like peat, clay, mud, even mountain rocks.
    Noma Nazish, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
  • Humidity will be moderate and depending on early morning precipitation, there’s a possibility for a frequent staple of Lollapalooza: mud.
    Susan Moskop, Chicago Tribune, 31 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirt. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

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