public land

[puhb-lik land] / ˈpʌb lɪk ˈlænd /

NOUN

land that is open to public

Synonyms

WEAK

government land national forest national park national wildlife refuge nature conservancy land unappropriated land

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On public land or highways, responsibility often falls to local government agencies.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

If nests are found on private land, residents should contact the Forestry Commission, and the Neighbourhood Team in Woking if on public land, a council spokesperson said.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

California is home to more than 15 million acres of public land managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

In the fall of 2023, a crew of geologists reported that the public land it was looking at in Esmeralda County didn’t seem all that promising.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 21, 2026

They all had branches I could reach from public land, but none of them had quite ripened yet.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan