coral bleaching

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noun

The process by which corals expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, typically due to stress from warmer water temperatures, causing them to turn completely white and become vulnerable to disease and death.

Example Sentences

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

"Every global coral bleaching event has been during an El Nino year," said Clint Oakley, a coral scientist at Victoria University of Wellington.

From Barron's ● May 22, 2026

"Our results show that the Third Global Coral Bleaching Event was by far the most severe and widespread coral bleaching event on record," Connolly said.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 12, 2026

Thesaurus

Possible Synonyms

underwater desertification
aquatic pallor
reef whitening
ghost reef formation
thermal stress response

Possible Antonyms

coral recovery
thriving marine ecosystem
vibrant reef life
reef resilience
symbiotic health