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Recent Examples of defoliate
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
Only the Box Tree Moth caterpillars will defoliate the plants.
—Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 10 Aug. 2024
These caterpillars will eat the foliage and defoliate a boxwood.
—Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 10 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for defoliate
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
Only the Box Tree Moth caterpillars will defoliate the plants.
—Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 10 Aug. 2024
These caterpillars will eat the foliage and defoliate a boxwood.
—Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 10 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for defoliate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defoliate
Verb
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In particular, Jess Carter was skinned three times by Delpinhe Cascarino in the first half — two warning signs, and then the assist for Marie-Antoinette Katoto’s opener.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
6 July 2025
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It is packed with 12 actives including a Suprême Skin Bio Complex (to boost skin renewal), which brightens, de-puffs, smoothens and firms skin around the eye area.—
Bianca Salonga,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2025
Verb
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Contreras, the excitable ex-Cub, took exception and barked at Palencia.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
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Mabel responds by barking and then races into the kitchen.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
Verb
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To hull a strawberry: Grab a sharp paring knife with your dominant hand, gripping the blade with your index finger and thumb, and leave about 1 inch poking out.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 June 2025
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Uses include: Blend hulled seeds with oil to make homemade tahini sauce Put them in a vegetable slaw Sprinkle on to add an Asian twist to your recipes. 4.—
Nancy LeBrun,
Verywell Health,
11 June 2025
Verb
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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
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Ingredients 4 ears fresh yellow corn, husked, silks removed 2 tsp.—
Julia Levy,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2023
Verb
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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
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Stripped to the bone and flayed by her ugly experiences, both during and for years after, Lidia is emotionally naked, unable even to ask for or accept help.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Verb
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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
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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
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Russia also shelled residential neighborhoods and critical infrastructure across Ukraine’s southern Kherson region, killing four civilians and wounding at least 11 others, according to Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the regional military administration.—
Illia Novikov,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
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The game in New Jersey was perhaps the team’s worst of the season; they got shelled 5-0, managed only 12 shots and took a pair of too-many-men penalties.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
Verb
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When University of Pennsylvania administrators announced that the school was stripping Lia (formerly William) Thomas, ...—
Becket Adams,
National Review,
6 July 2025
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The mountains rose up, stripped the overriding rocks, and then cooled down.—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defoliate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defoliate. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
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