: surface soil usually including the organic layer in which plants have most of their roots and which the farmer turns over in plowing

Examples of topsoil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But that assertion appears to conflict with previous analyses that show dangerous levels of chemicals even after the federal cleanup workers clear a layer of topsoil. Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2025 Industrial farming has utterly devastated native ecosystems across the Midwest and completely removed at least a quarter of the topsoil in the Corn Belt. Benji Jones, Vox, 28 Jan. 2025 Business leaders have privatized the benefits our planet provides and socialized the costs of its destruction, impacting communities that now face biodiversity loss, ocean acidification, extreme weather, and the loss of healthy topsoil. Rose Marcario, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025 Erosion control is another critical aspect of protecting water, as erosion leads to the loss of topsoil and contributes to leaching. Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 10 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for topsoil

Word History

First Known Use

1733, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of topsoil was in 1733

Browse Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

“Topsoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/topsoil. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

: surface soil usually including the rich upper layer in which plants have most of their roots and which the farmer turns over in plowing

More from Merriam-Webster on topsoil

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!