water cycle
noun
: hydrologic cycle
In the water cycle, water evaporates, condenses, falls as precipitation, and eventually evaporates again.—
Timothy Cooney et al.
Timothy Cooney et al.As they have for thousands of years, the rhythms of wildlife migration and reproduction as well as human agriculture and grazing activities are inseparable from that of the yearly water cycle.—Peter Warshall
Peter Warshall… run by solar energy that helps cause winds, energizes plants, and powers the water cycle.—David M. Armstrong et al.
David M. Armstrong et al.Examples of water cycle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The water cycle refers to the complex system by which water moves around the Earth.
—Laura Paddison, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024
Read: Playing God with the atmosphere Climate change has disrupted the water cycle, speeding up every phase in the ancient, endless process that circulates H2O among the oceans, atmosphere, and land.
—Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 20 June 2024
By reducing the solar energy that reaches the earth’s surface, aerosols reduce evaporation and slow the water cycle that governs where, when, and how much rain falls.
—Veerabhadran Ramanathan, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2016
According to Regeneration International, regenerative agriculture describes farming and grazing practices that, among other benefits, reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity - resulting in both carbon drawdown and improving the water cycle.
—Tom Hyland, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for water cycle 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Laura Paddison, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024
Read: Playing God with the atmosphere Climate change has disrupted the water cycle, speeding up every phase in the ancient, endless process that circulates H2O among the oceans, atmosphere, and land.
—Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 20 June 2024
By reducing the solar energy that reaches the earth’s surface, aerosols reduce evaporation and slow the water cycle that governs where, when, and how much rain falls.
—Veerabhadran Ramanathan, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2016
According to Regeneration International, regenerative agriculture describes farming and grazing practices that, among other benefits, reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity - resulting in both carbon drawdown and improving the water cycle.
—Tom Hyland, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for water cycle
Dictionary Entries Near water cycle
Cite this Entry
“Water cycle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/water%20cycle. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share