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 defoliate
These caterpillars will eat the foliage and defoliate a boxwood.
—
Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 10 Aug. 2024
For example, spongy moths may be virtually absent for years on end before appearing en masse and defoliating forests.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 4 July 2024
Both tomatoes were bred using West Virginia ’63 as the parent fruit and boasted resistance to late blight as well as to Septoria leaf spot, a defoliating disease that exposes the fruit to sunburn.
—Ashley Stimpson, Washington Post, 15 June 2024
Fresh buds may also be consumed if trees are severely defoliated.
—Pamm Cooper, Hartford Courant, 8 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for defoliate
Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 10 Aug. 2024
For example, spongy moths may be virtually absent for years on end before appearing en masse and defoliating forests.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 4 July 2024
Both tomatoes were bred using West Virginia ’63 as the parent fruit and boasted resistance to late blight as well as to Septoria leaf spot, a defoliating disease that exposes the fruit to sunburn.
—Ashley Stimpson, Washington Post, 15 June 2024
Fresh buds may also be consumed if trees are severely defoliated.
—Pamm Cooper, Hartford Courant, 8 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for defoliate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defoliate
Verb
-
As its formula guards skin against damaging UV rays, a hydrating combination of hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and ectoin plump, smooth, and calm redness and irritation.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
3 Apr. 2025
-
The formula is a gel-cream that hydrates skin with such ingredients as collagen-boosting copper peptides, smoothing saccharide isomerate, moisture-retaining sodium PCA, and calming zinc oxide.—
Danielle Sinay,
Glamour,
8 May 2025
Verb
-
Physical performance coach Al Stewart, who joined the team in April last year, was barking orders.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
-
The TikTok Response Since the video was shared online, internet users have become obsessed with the idea of a barking cat.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 May 2025
Verb
-
Place hulled strawberries, sugar, and 2 cups of the water in a blender with lemon quarters; blend on HIGH until almost fully pureed, 30 seconds to 1 minute.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
15 May 2025
-
Everything from lifeboat drills to hull design can trace its roots back to the hard lessons learned from Titanic’s fate.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
3 May 2025
Verb
-
Ingredients 4 ears fresh yellow corn, husked, silks removed 2 tsp.—
Julia Levy,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2023
-
The Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, for example, lets guests husk coconuts, take ukulele and hula lessons, and rent GoPro cameras as part of its $50 daily resort fee.—
Catherine Garcia,
The Week,
8 Apr. 2023
Verb
-
Clark, who wore a mischievous smile, flayed her arm once more for the dramatics before stepping on the court and finishing a defensive drill.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
-
And leather boots, barely-there flayed skirts, faux leather, faux ostrich feathers, and while crowds at Lollapalooza may edge ever closer to public nudity, Charli and her ongoing Brat Summer tour clearly inspired a cleavage arms race for the ages.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
Despite a pause in drone attacks, Russian forces continued shelling frontline and border areas, using glide bombs on military and civilian targets, in violation of its own ceasefire, Ukrainian authorities reported.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
-
India and Pakistan abruptly declared a cease-fire on Saturday after four days of rapidly escalating drone volleys, shelling and airstrikes that appeared to bring the old enemies to the brink of outright war.—
Anupreeta Das,
New York Times,
10 May 2025
Verb
-
Bissouma had been stripped of the ball by Pedro Neto on the halfway line and made the situation worse in his desperation to atone for the initial error.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
-
Even if that court rules the Trump administration’s decision to strip Venezuelans of their TPS protections is unlawful, however, the Supreme Court’s Monday ruling revoking the protections will remain in place.—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defoliate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defoliate. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share