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Definition of dustbowl

dustbowl

/ˈdʌstˌboʊl/
dust · bowl
Plural:dustbowls
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dustbowl Lexical Profile

dustbowl Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An arid region where the vegetation has been lost and the topsoil reduced to dry powder, typically as a result of prolonged drought and unsustainable farming practices.

Example

"Years of overgrazing and severe drought turned the once-fertile valley into a barren dustbowl."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
View all antonyms for dustbowl

• Nearby Words

dust
dustball
dustbin
dustbowl
dustbox
dustcart
dustcloth

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in April 1935 by Associated Press reporter Robert E. Geiger as 'Dust Bowl' to describe the severe drought and catastrophic dust storms afflicting the southern Great Plains of the United States during the 1930s.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Dustbowl. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/dustbowl
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