public land

noun

: land owned by a government
specifically : that part of the U.S. public domain subject to sale or disposal under the homestead laws

Examples of public land in a Sentence

the management of public lands The government will auction off 20 parcels of public land.
Recent Examples on the Web Some regions will have the discretion to hire additional employees for critical positions, like avalanche crews, said Jacqueline Buchanan, a forester for the Pacific Northwest Region, which includes nearly 25 million acres of public lands in Oregon and Washington. Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 25 Sep. 2024 That’s because the legal structures governing federal management of public lands are fundamentally different from the mandates governing state management. Wes Siler, Outside Online, 16 Sep. 2024 Biden even reneged on a campaign promise not to allow more oil and gas drilling on public lands, approving one of the largest oil developments in Alaska. Umair Irfan, Vox, 5 Sep. 2024 Operating outside can also create tension with public land managers. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 18 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for public land 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'public land.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of public land was in 1789

Dictionary Entries Near public land

Cite this Entry

“Public land.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20land. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.

Legal Definition

public land

noun
: land owned by a government
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!