subsidence
Britishnoun
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the act or process of subsiding or the condition of having subsided
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geology the gradual sinking of landforms to a lower level as a result of earth movements, mining operations, etc
Vocabulary lists containing subsidence
Plate Tectonics - Middle School
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Earth Science - Middle School
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Earth Science - High School
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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.
He said drone footage of the scene showed the "subsidence" was "significant" and it was an "incredibly complex issue to resolve".
From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2026
The scientists interpret this subsidence as evidence of a previously unknown hydraulic connection between Santorini and the nearby Kolumbo volcano.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 17, 2026
Land subsidence linked to groundwater overpumping, the report says, is occurring across more than 2.3 million square miles, nearly 5% of the global land area.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 21, 2026
Buildings and water pipes are beginning to crack because of land subsidence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 16, 2025
The deeper the tunnel, the less chance of subsidence on the surface.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.