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.
Subsidence, the gradual sinking or settling of the Earth's surface, can occur through natural geological changes or from human-driven causes such as overuse of groundwater.
From Science Daily • Oct. 23, 2025
Subsidence in these cities is caused in part by the sheer weight of buildings and infrastructure, the study found.
From New York Times • Apr. 18, 2024
Subsidence — the natural sinking of land — and sea level rise will diminish the returns, so much so that a net loss of land remains likely.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 9, 2023
Subsidence, after all, can be a slow process.
From BBC • Jan. 9, 2023
Subsidence would follow the ejection of quantities of such matter; and hence the word 'overthrew,' which seems inappropriate to a mere conflagration, would be explained.
From Expositions of Holy Scripture by Maclaren, Alexander
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.
