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acid rain
noun
: rain that has increased acidity caused by environmental factors (such as atmospheric pollutants)
Examples of acid rain in a Sentence
trees damaged by acid rain
Recent Examples on the Web
Mercury and acid Fox and colleagues proposed that acid rain from volcanic gases may have contributed to the tree loss.
—Howard Lee, Ars Technica, 8 Feb. 2023
So if insects, mercury, acid rain and fog, ozone damage, and even wildfires were not enough, what destroyed the terrestrial ecosystem?
—Howard Lee, Ars Technica, 8 Feb. 2023
Climate change holds the environment down while it is kicked by other stressors like acid rain, mercury, or even plagues of insects until ecosystems break.
—Howard Lee, Ars Technica, 8 Feb. 2023
The asteroid impact also sparked wildfires, tsunamis and acid rain.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Oct. 2023
The ozone hole and acid rain were not fixed with the first international agreements on the table.
—Hannah Ritchie, Scientific American, 25 Oct. 2023
Combustion of high-sulfur fuels leads to the production of compounds like sulfur dioxide, which can cause respiratory problems and produce acid rain.
—Robert Rapier, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
The volcanism would have also spawned acid rain and ocean acidification.
—WIRED, 28 Sep. 2023
The cost-benefit ratio of desulfurization technologies was key to solving acid rain.
—Hannah Ritchie, Scientific American, 25 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'acid rain.' 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
1845, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near acid rain
Cite this Entry
“Acid rain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acid%20rain. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.
Kids Definition
acid rain
noun
: rain with increased acidity that is caused by environmental factors (as atmospheric pollutants)
Medical Definition
acid rain
noun
: acid precipitation especially in the form of rain
More from Merriam-Webster on acid rain
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about acid rain
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