deforestation

American  

[dee-fawr-uh-stey-shuhn, for-] / ˌdi fɔr əˈsteɪ ʃən, fɒr- /

noun

1. the clearing or severe thinning of a forest or other wooded area, leaving few or no trees.

   Most of the world’s deforestation is happening in Brazil.

---

deforestation Scientific  

/ dē-fôr′ĭ-stā′shən /

1. The cutting down and removal of all or most of the trees in a forested area. Deforestation can erode soils, contribute to desertification and the pollution of waterways, and decrease biodiversity through the destruction of habitat.

---

deforestation Cultural  

1. The process of destroying a forest and replacing it with something else. The term is used today to refer to the destruction of forests by human beings and their replacement by agricultural systems.

---

Discover More

Deforestation is considered to be a main contributor to the greenhouse effect.

Etymology

Origin of deforestation

First recorded in 1870–75; deforest ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

Explanation

Deforestation is the clearing of trees, transforming a wooded area into cleared land. The first step in turning the wilderness into a shopping center is deforestation. You can see the word forest in deforestation. The prefix de- means "remove" and the suffix -ation signals "the act or state of." So deforestation is the act of removing a forest. First, the trees are chopped down, the wood shipped around the world for making products. Then the land is made smooth enough for homes, businesses, or farming. Today, in many places, laws limit the amount of deforestation.

Example Sentences

Environmentalists have condemned the expansion of illegal mining in the area, saying it has caused rampant deforestation and river pollution.

From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026

But environmentalists who have long warned about the risks of rampant deforestation fear the current response will not solve the problem, and could even make it worse.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

The so-called ecocide narrative argues that deforestation led to conflict and population decline before Europeans arrived in the 18th century, turning the island into a cautionary tale about overconsumption.

From Science Daily • Feb. 10, 2026

BBC News has recently documented uncovered toxic waste ponds, deforestation and soil erosion at rare earth mines in Northern China.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

The destruction of Britain’s forests has been suggested as the reason behind its early lead in developing coal technology, but why didn’t deforestation have the same effect in China?

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• desertification
• erosion
• logging