Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

carbon offset

British  

noun

    1. a compensatory measure made by an individual or company for carbon emissions, usually through sponsoring activities or projects which increase carbon dioxide absorption, such as tree planting

    2. ( as modifier )

      a carbon-offset scheme

"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

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.

See Examples For:

The team lost the $300-million sponsorship deal and an additional $20 million paid for carbon offset purchases.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 2, 2026

Renting a farm was the "only realistic option" because land prices were so high, influenced in part by "big companies buying land to plant trees for carbon offset", she claimed.

From BBC Jul. 23, 2025

But carbon offset projects have a poor record, and examples of their failures abound.

From Salon Jul. 18, 2024

A carbon offset is a credit that you can buy to make up for your emissions.

From New York Times May 6, 2024

In the California carbon market, the largest regulatory U.S. carbon market, 3% of a carbon offset project is reserved for catastrophic risks such as hurricanes and other storm events.

From Science Daily Apr. 24, 2024

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training