forest

1 of 2

noun

for·​est ˈfȯr-əst How to pronounce forest (audio)
ˈfär-
often attributive
1
: a dense growth of trees and underbrush covering a large tract
A fire destroyed acres of forest.
forests of pine and mahogany
2
: a tract of wooded land in England formerly owned by the sovereign and used for game
3
: something resembling a forest especially in profusion or lushness
a forest of microphones
a kelp forest
a forest of skyscrapers
forestal adjective
or forestial
fə-ˈre-stē-əl How to pronounce forest (audio)
fȯ-,
-ˈres-chəl,
-ˈresh-
forested adjective

forest

2 of 2

verb

forested; foresting; forests

transitive verb

: to cover with trees or forest
land densely forested with firs
forestation noun

Examples of forest in a Sentence

Noun Fires destroyed acres of forest. the endless forest that the first European settlers encountered
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Developers cut down the forests and built around its lakes as the city of about 4 million exploded to house more than three times that. Rhea Mogul, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 Known as The James Walker House, the 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath home sits on 1.7 flat acres featuring forest views and private access to the Anchorage Trail. Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 14 Mar. 2024 The space, which looks like an enchanted forest, is filled with easy-care houseplants including monsteras, different types of pothos, Zanzibar Gems (a.k.a. Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 On a small farm in the Norwegian forest, the Payne family seeks a wild and free existence. Addie Morfoot, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 This dynamic is reflected, too, in forests, Ms. Bustamante said. Max Bearak, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 President Bill Clinton established the Agua Fria National Monument in 2000 to protect cultural resources, riparian forests and biodiversity in the area. Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 12 Mar. 2024 Fees for most state forest campgrounds can also be found online. Detroit Free Press, 12 Mar. 2024 These white spruce are well beyond established their treelines—the beginnings of a proper forest. Matt Simon, WIRED, 4 Mar. 2024
Verb
The 1-hectare (about 2.5-acre) property is forested and contains two ponds. Lauren Beale, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024 Aspen forests shimmer in gold in mid-October, but the snows that can close U.S. Route 550 for days started falling before Halloween. Jonathan Weisman Benjamin Rasmussen, New York Times, 30 Nov. 2023 Another nearly rainless summer had left the Sierra Nevada forests desert dry, and the National Weather Service had issued a Red Flag warning for strong winds and low humidity. John Riha, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2023 Scenic designer Nadir Bey’s set, forested with security-style floodlights, adds to the intensity. Celia Wren, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2023 One of the likely reasons some parts of the community still don't have access to broadband is the terrain, which can be rocky and heavily forested. Josh Snyder, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2023 The spongy moth is currently the most prevalent invasive problem in Wisconsin forests The spongy moth, McNee said, is currently the biggest invasive problem for Wisconsin's trees. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 2 Aug. 2023 The ascent up its conical face promised to be an immersion into Guatemala’s natural order, taking us through an array of ecosystems, from farmland to cloud and alpine forests to the volcanic crater. David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 19 Aug. 2023 The public’s videos also draw attention to the unique biodiversity in Arizona’s Sky Islands, the mountains that rise from desert to forest around southeastern Arizona and in Sonora, Hart said. Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 25 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin forestis (silva) unenclosed (woodland), from Latin foris outside — more at forum

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1828, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of forest was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near forest

Cite this Entry

“Forest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forest. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

forest

noun
for·​est
ˈfȯr-əst,
ˈfär-
: a dense growth of trees and underbrush covering a large area

More from Merriam-Webster on forest

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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