Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defoliate
Plants can defoliate all their leaves before any sign of the disease is obvious.
—
Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for defoliate
Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for defoliate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defoliate
Verb
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Researchers could run a measuring wheel across an animal’s hide and mark out units in chalk, or skin the creature and measure its surface area by hand.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Oct. 2025
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Everyone knows that some form of Hamas—skinned of the top echelon of its leadership—has survived and rules the parts of Gaza that Israel never fully occupied.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Gene’s body was in another part of the house, a sort of mudroom, his cane and sunglasses next to him, the door open to the outside, where another dog, Nikita, ran back and forth, barking.—
Joy Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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Bugatti began barking but quickly settled down knowing Salguero was there to help.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This clever stem remover gadget makes hulling strawberries quick and clean.—
Nora Colomer
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
24 Oct. 2025
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Both hulled and unhulled pumpkin seeds provide more magnesium than sunflower seeds.—
Brittany Lubeck,
Verywell Health,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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.—
Beth Dooley,
Boston Herald,
20 Aug. 2025
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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
Verb
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Koch was a real-life Nazi war criminal, played here by Krieps, whose sick specialties include flaying the skin off of Jewish people and making objects out of it like lampshades.—
William Earl,
Variety,
4 Oct. 2025
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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
Verb
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The school itself is one story and sprawling, the campus denuded of pine trees.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
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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
Verb
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Rajab and her family had been fleeing Gaza City when their vehicle was shelled, killing her uncle, aunt, and three cousins.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
22 Oct. 2025
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Its pink conch shell hue blends with a vibrant blue, and its soft fabric is made from 100 percent Supima cotton jersey for all-day comfort.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Without Medicaid expansion, the state's enrollees won't be subject to work requirements, but the law's financing changes to the Medicaid program could strip hundreds of millions of dollars away from hospitals, said Roberson.—
NPR,
NPR,
25 Oct. 2025
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Snip the stems at a 45-degree angle, and strip any lower leaves.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defoliate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defoliate. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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