Meanings
verbsalt the earth (third-person singular simple present salts the earth, present participle salting the earth, simple past and past participle salted the earth)
present singular third person salts the earth · participle present salting the earth · participle past salted the earth · past salted the earth
- literalTo spread salt over arable land to destroy its fertility, especially as a scorched-earth tactic of war and/or genocide.
Synonyms: make matters worse
- excessiveidiomaticAfter destroying or devastating something, to do something additional to make sure it is permanently destroyed, as a precaution or out of spite.
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo spread salt over arable land to destroy its fertility, especially as a scorched-earth tactic of war and/or genocide.
Similar
Cite this entry
APA
salt the earth. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/salt%20the%20earth
MLA
“salt the earth.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/salt%20the%20earth. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “salt the earth,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/salt%20the%20earth.
Source: salt the earth on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.