Synonyms

scrubland

American

[skruhb-land] / ˈskrʌbˌlænd /

noun

land on which the natural vegetation is chiefly scrub.

scrubland British

/ ˈskrʌbˌlænd /

noun

an area of scrub vegetation

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of scrubland

An Americanism dating back to 1770–80; scrub ² + -land

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Slowly but surely, the unremarkable patch of scrubland next to Palmdale’s McAdam Park has been transformed into a bustling construction site swarming with workers and heavy machinery.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 19, 2026

By mid-January the family were living on a patch of scrubland outside Khan Younis and Amal had only two days of baby formula left.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2024

On Thursday, the bird moved to an area of scrubland and reedbed nearby, and about 130 people turned up, hoping for a glimpse.

From BBC • Jan. 5, 2024

After seven days in the desert scrubland, the scientists left with a sample of nature's bounty: wild tepary bean plants.

From Salon • Dec. 14, 2023

Below this, a bit of open scrubland dropped sharply down into the forest proper.

From "I'm the King of the Castle" by Susan Hill

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023