Illustration of ragweed
: any of various chiefly North American weedy composite herbs (genus Ambrosia) that produce highly allergenic pollen
Examples of ragweed in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In Europe, projections showed a probable increase in Ambrosia—or ragweed pollen—also linked to rising temperatures.
—
Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 9 Apr. 2025
Changes to the landscape like urbanization can create a more favorable habitat for plants like ragweed.
—Umair Irfan, Wired News, 5 Apr. 2025
Growing up in the South with pollen and ragweed didn't make matters any better.
—Gaylyn Henderson, Mph, Health, 25 Jan. 2025
The most common culprit for fall allergies is a plant called ragweed, the CDC says, which can release 1 billion grains of pollen per plant.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 22 Oct. 2024
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Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 9 Apr. 2025
Changes to the landscape like urbanization can create a more favorable habitat for plants like ragweed.
—Umair Irfan, Wired News, 5 Apr. 2025
Growing up in the South with pollen and ragweed didn't make matters any better.
—Gaylyn Henderson, Mph, Health, 25 Jan. 2025
The most common culprit for fall allergies is a plant called ragweed, the CDC says, which can release 1 billion grains of pollen per plant.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 22 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ragweed
Cite this Entry
“Ragweed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ragweed. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ragweed
noun
rag·weed
ˈrag-ˌwēd 
: any of various chiefly North American weedy herbs related to the daisies and producing pollen irritating to the eyes and noses of some persons
Medical Definition
ragweed
noun
rag·weed
ˈrag-ˌwēd
: any of various chiefly North American weedy herbaceous plants comprising the genus Ambrosia and producing highly allergenic pollen responsible for much hay fever and asthma: as
a
: an annual weed (A. artemisiifolia) with finely divided foliage that is common on open or cultivated ground in much of North America
b
: a coarse annual (A. trifida) with some or all of the leaves usually deeply and palmately 3-cleft or 5-cleft
called also great ragweed
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