barren soil
Lifeless growing medium
Barren soil is ground that cannot support plant growth—depleted of nutrients, too rocky, or otherwise inhospitable to cultivation.
The phrase appears in agricultural contexts and biblical imagery alike: Nothing would grow in that barren soil.
Figuratively, barren soil describes any environment where ideas or efforts fail to take root.
- infertileUnable to produce offspring
- poor yieldInsufficient production outcome
- aridDevoid of water
- dust bowlErosion-ravaged drought zone
- dustyCoated with fine particles
cracked · parched · bone dry · fallow · wasteland · no man's land · drought · desolate · dead zone · lifeless · hardpan · clay · rocky · depleted · exhausted · sterile · dry · withered
fertility/productivity
barren soilfertile soil
Nutrient-rich growing medium
loam · arable land · fertile ground · black earth · topsoil
biological activity and life-sustaining capacity
barren soilrich loam