loess

noun

Definition of loessnext
as in alluvium

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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 loess Officials said the feature continued downward into the loess beneath the prehistoric site. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 9 Feb. 2026 Many fatalities were linked to the collapse of yaodongs—homes carved into loess hillsides. — Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025 When blown by the wind, these sediments are referred to as loess. — Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 2 Sep. 2021 When the tunnel was first dug, the ice held the loess in place. — Madeline Ostrander, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 May 2020 See All Example Sentences for loess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loess
  1. alluvium
  2. sediment
  3. silt
  4. marl
  5. clay
  6. detritus
  7. mud
  8. shingle
Noun
  • What used to be open water was heading towards alluvium, and oblivion.
    — Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Mar. 2026
  • At some point, alluvium buried the entire tusk, possibly from major storm flooding.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Aug. 2024
Definition of alluvium
Noun
  • Permafrost on the mountains, the continuously frozen soil and sediment, is now changing, said Byers.
    — Ava Berger, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Ice also holds mountains together, in the form of permafrost, a mix of soil, rock, sediment and ice.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of sediment
Noun
  • This torrent was made up not just of water but was also loaded with silt, sand, gravel and giant boulders, which all moved together as a single fluid.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Microscopic particles of silt and clay can then settle on the soil surface.
    — Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of silt
Noun
  • Freshman Ben Smith became the first NCAA outdoor champion for Oregon in the shot put since Dean Crouser (1982) with a marl of 69-0 1/2.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 June 2026
  • Its striking blue-green hues and clarity—allowing visibility of 20 to 30 feet—are due to minimal organic runoff and calcium-rich marl sediment from its glacial origins.
    — Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 21 May 2026
Definition of marl
Noun
  • Featuring warm neutrals, earthy tones, muted pinks, clay hues, and airy blues, the palette includes shades inspired by nature—from sandy beaches to golden autumn leaves.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Conventional production involves heating limestone, clay and other materials to temperatures up to 2,552 degrees Fahrenheit (1,400 degrees Celsius).
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of clay
Noun
  • The past is not so much foreign as free, free to anyone who is willing to do the work, to enter the past with a spirit of curiosity and a willingness to conjure a living world out of the detritus that history leaves behind.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Still, even with Ellison’s $111 billion WBD takeover plan under threat from a state attorneys general antitrust suit, $4 million and change is sofa detritus to the son of Larry Ellison.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of detritus
Noun
  • Before-and-after images aired by state broadcaster China Central Television showed a multistory building and more than a dozen vehicles covered in mud.
    — Shristi Kafle, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In Tibet, a mudslide that struck near the land border crossing of Gyirong Port on Wednesday left mud in the surrounding areas that was more than 5 feet deep on average, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.
    — Niranjan Shrestha, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of mud
Noun
  • Yeo adds that an asphalt shingle roof also complements a wide range of architectural styles.
    — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Aug. 2026
  • National Register of Historic Places documentation, detailed in 1982, says two barns on that property were originally built with wood-plank walls and wood-shingle roofs.
    — Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of shingle

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lodgments
loess
loesses
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Cite this Entry

“Loess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loess. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on loess

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about loess

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