as in loam
a brown or black material in soil that is formed when plants and animals decay
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Recent Examples of humus
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, and all that humus rot.
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Chris Bohjalian, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023
Strobe lights periodically illuminated three large heaps of compost, flecked with humus; a machine puffed artificial fog.
—Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023
No matter how it is described, the humus-like material distributed to gardeners, neighborhood groups and landscapers by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District is still sewage sludge — a byproduct of human excrement and industrial waste from Chicago and the Cook County suburbs.
—Chicago Tribune Staff, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2022
Put some humus in there, keep it simple.
—Town & Country, 21 Mar. 2021
See all Example Sentences for humus 
Chris Bohjalian, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023
Strobe lights periodically illuminated three large heaps of compost, flecked with humus; a machine puffed artificial fog.
—Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023
No matter how it is described, the humus-like material distributed to gardeners, neighborhood groups and landscapers by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District is still sewage sludge — a byproduct of human excrement and industrial waste from Chicago and the Cook County suburbs.
—Chicago Tribune Staff, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2022
Put some humus in there, keep it simple.
—Town & Country, 21 Mar. 2021
See all Example Sentences for humus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humus
Noun
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The soils consist of clay, limestone, and gravel loams.Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
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Conspiracy of the flesh is Kennedy’s root allure, the bloody loam of his candidacy, and maybe even his psyche.Time, Time, 9 Aug. 2023
Noun
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These practices consume fossil fuel, water, and topsoil at unsustainable rates and contribute to numerous forms of environmental degradation and soil depletion, diminishing biodiversity.Judith Magyar, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
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Some residents are allowed to visit their homes but can’t move back there while thousands of workers remove topsoil, branches, and other materials to decontaminate these areas.Amanda Kennell, Discover Magazine, 19 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Think of them as an early version of a rubber stamp — but one that rolled across a wet clay tablet rather than pounded onto a paper surface.Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 6 Nov. 2024
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Related article Archaeologists unearth tiny 3,500-year-old clay tablet following an earthquake A study detailing the similarities was published Tuesday in the journal Antiquity.Ashley Strickland, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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In just one day, an entire year's worth of rainfall drenched the area, submerging homes and vehicles and leaving streets clogged with mud and debris.Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
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The Iron Horse Station inn's first floor was hollowed out and layered in mud, but the building still stood.Chris Kenning, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near humus
Cite this Entry
“Humus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humus. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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