: a level or rolling treeless plain that is characteristic of arctic and subarctic regions, consists of black mucky soil with a permanently frozen subsoil, and has a dominant vegetation of mosses, lichens, herbs, and dwarf shrubs
also
: a similar region confined to mountainous areas above timberline
Examples of tundra in a Sentence
a report on the arctic tundra of Alaska and the polar bears that inhabit that vast, frozen plain
Recent Examples on the Web
Climate projections show that areas covered today by the low-to-the-ground vegetation of the tundra could host growing forests by 2100.
—
Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2025
Such descriptions enliven the book, and capture Shubin’s reverence for both the beauty and the mysteries hidden in the cold, barren tundra.
—The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
Imagine a place where polar bears roam free across rugged, remote terrain of grand glaciers and frozen tundra mixed with sub-zero temps throughout a three-month period of zero sun.
—Skyler Caruso, People.com, 12 Feb. 2025
America’s largest state—encompassing mountains, coasts, lakes and tundra—captures about $5.6 billion in tourism spending each year.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2025
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Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2025
Such descriptions enliven the book, and capture Shubin’s reverence for both the beauty and the mysteries hidden in the cold, barren tundra.
—The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
Imagine a place where polar bears roam free across rugged, remote terrain of grand glaciers and frozen tundra mixed with sub-zero temps throughout a three-month period of zero sun.
—Skyler Caruso, People.com, 12 Feb. 2025
America’s largest state—encompassing mountains, coasts, lakes and tundra—captures about $5.6 billion in tourism spending each year.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tundra
Cite this Entry
“Tundra.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tundra. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tundra
noun
tun·dra
ˈtən-drə 
also ˈtu̇n-
: a treeless plain especially of arctic regions having a permanently frozen layer below the surface soil and plant life made up mostly of mosses, lichens, herbs, and very small shrubs
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