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Tumbleweed - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

A tumbleweed is a dry plant that breaks from its roots and rolls with the wind, often seen in deserts or open plains. It symbolizes emptiness or desolation in popular culture.

tumbleweed

/ˈtʌmbəlˌwid/ /ˈtʌmbəlwiːd/

Definition:

A dry, rolling plant often seen in deserts, symbolizing desolation or abandonment.

Synonyms:

rolling weed, wind witch, Russian thistle

Part of Speech:

noun

Antonyms:

lush vegetation, thriving plant

Common Collocations:

rolling tumbleweed, desert tumbleweed, dry tumbleweed

Derivatives:

tumbling, tumbled

Usage Tips:

Use "tumbleweed" to describe barren landscapes or metaphorically for emptiness in conversations or events.

Common Phrases:

like a tumbleweed, tumbleweed moment, tumbleweed town

Etymology:

Derived from "tumble" (to roll) + "weed" (wild plant), first recorded in the late 19th century.

Examples:

  • 1. The tumbleweed rolled across the empty road.
  • 2. A lone tumbleweed drifted through the ghost town.
  • 3. The desert was dotted with dry tumbleweeds.
  • 4. Silence fell, and it felt like a tumbleweed moment.

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