weed
15 synonyms for weed, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To pull unwanted plants out of a garden or field.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. verb
To pull unwanted plants out of a garden or field.
“I need to weed the flower beds before the weekend.”
How to use weed
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
weed the garden
pull weeds
smoke weed
The marijuana sense is casual slang, not used in formal or medical contexts.
Etymology
From Old English wēod ("weed"), of Germanic origin; the marijuana slang sense is a 20th-century extension of the plain "unwanted plant" meaning.
Full origin of weed →Frequently asked questions
What does “weed” mean?
The word “weed” means to pull unwanted plants out of a garden or field. In plain terms, an unwanted wild plant, the act of removing such plants, or, in slang, marijuana.
How do you pronounce “weed”?
“Weed” is pronounced weed (/wiːd/ in IPA).
How do you use “weed” in a sentence?
Here is “weed” used in a sentence: “She spent Saturday morning weeding the vegetable patch.”
What part of speech is “weed”?
Depending on how it is used, “weed” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “weed” come from?
The word “weed” dates back to around 1900 and comes from Old English. From Old English wēod ("weed"), of Germanic origin; the marijuana slang sense is a 20th-century extension of the plain "unwanted plant" meaning.
Is “weed” a common word?
“Weed” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “weed” have?
“Weed” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to pull unwanted plants out of a garden or field.
What is the difference between a "weed" and a "plant"?
A weed is simply a plant growing where it is not wanted, especially among cultivated ones, so the label depends on the setting rather than the species. The same flower can be a prized plant in one garden and a weed in another.
What is the difference between "weeding" and "mowing"?
Weeding means pulling unwanted plants out, usually by the roots, so they do not return, while mowing means cutting grass or plants down to an even height without removing them. Weeding targets specific unwanted plants, whereas mowing trims an area evenly.
