highland clearances: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Historical, Academic
Quick answer
What does “highland clearances” mean?
A specific historical process in Scottish history (c. 1750–1860) where large landowners forcibly evicted tenant farmers and crofters from the Highlands and islands, often replacing them with sheep farms.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A specific historical process in Scottish history (c. 1750–1860) where large landowners forcibly evicted tenant farmers and crofters from the Highlands and islands, often replacing them with sheep farms.
Any similar historical event involving the mass displacement of a rural population for economic or social reasons; a historical instance of social upheaval in agrarian communities, often driven by land enclosure or economic change.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Mainly a British (specifically Scottish) historical term. In American contexts, it's rarely used except in historical or academic discussion of British/Scottish history.
Connotations
In the UK, the term is politically and emotionally charged, associated with cultural destruction and forced emigration. In the US, it's more neutral, a historical footnote.
Frequency
Very rare in general American English. Low frequency in general British English, but well-known in Scottish and UK educational/historical contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “highland clearances” in a Sentence
The Highland Clearances + [past tense verb] (e.g., 'displaced', 'occurred')The term 'Highland Clearances' refers to...Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “highland clearances” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The clan system was dismantled as estates were cleared.
American English
- Landowners cleared the glens to introduce more profitable sheep ranching.
adjective
British English
- The Clearance era left a lasting scar on Highland culture.
American English
- He studied the clearance policies of 19th-century Scottish landlords.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Uncommon; used only in historical case studies of land use economics.
Academic
Common in history, sociology, and Scottish studies. Used to discuss colonialism, capitalism, and social change.
Everyday
Rare except in Scottish discourse or among history enthusiasts.
Technical
Specific to historical and agrarian studies.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “highland clearances”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “highland clearances”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “highland clearances”
- Using it as a singular noun (*a highland clearance). It's almost always plural.
- Using lowercase for the specific historical event.
- Applying it anachronistically to non-Scottish contexts without explanation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They were the forced evictions of tenant farmers and crofters in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, primarily from the mid-18th to late-19th centuries, to make way for large-scale sheep farming.
The clearances were carried out by landowners (often clan chiefs who had become absentee landlords) and their estate managers, driven by the desire for higher profits from wool.
Many emigrated to coastal areas, the Scottish Lowlands, North America (especially Nova Scotia), Australia, and New Zealand.
While it refers specifically to the Scottish events, it is sometimes used analogously by historians or journalists to describe similar mass displacements in other parts of the world.
A specific historical process in Scottish history (c. 1750–1860) where large landowners forcibly evicted tenant farmers and crofters from the Highlands and islands, often replacing them with sheep farms.
Highland clearances is usually formal, historical, academic in register.
Highland clearances: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhaɪlənd ˈklɪərənsɪz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhaɪlənd ˈklɪrənsɪz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'HIGH land' was CLEARED of people to make room for sheep.
Conceptual Metaphor
HISTORICAL INJUSTICE IS A CLEANSING (clearances as a 'cleaning out' of people).
Practice
Quiz
What was a primary economic driver of the Highland Clearances?