mainland

noun

main·​land ˈmān-ˌland How to pronounce mainland (audio)
-lənd
Synonyms of mainlandnext
: a continent or the main part of a continent as distinguished from an offshore island or sometimes from a cape or peninsula
mainlander
ˈmān-ˌlan-dər How to pronounce mainland (audio)
-lən-
noun

Synonyms of mainland

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Examples of mainland in a Sentence

the boat back to the mainland leaves once every two days
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Revenue in mainland China fell 25% to 30%, while Europe and other regions recorded a 50% to 55% decline. — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026 Under a long-term licensing agreement, Yum China retained the rights to operate KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell in mainland China, paying Yum a royalty of 3% of restaurant sales. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Oct. 2026 Zegna was the first luxury menswear brand to establish a direct retail presence in mainland China in 1991, opening its first store in Beijing and, over the years, China has been the stage of key milestones in the brand’s history. — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2026 Then, much like in the Hugging Face incident, the agents go on an unintended side quest and attack mainland military infrastructure inside Europe. — Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mainland

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mainland was in the 14th century

Rhymes for mainland

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Browse Nearby Words

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mainland
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Cite this Entry

“Mainland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mainland. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mainland

noun
main·​land ˈmān-ˌland How to pronounce mainland (audio)
-lənd
: a continent or the main part of a continent as distinguished from an offshore island or sometimes from a cape or peninsula
mainlander noun

Geographical Definition

Mainland

geographical name

Main·​land ˈmān-ˌland How to pronounce Mainland (audio)
-lənd
1
honshu
2
island in northern Scotland; largest of the Orkney Islands
3
island in northern Scotland; largest of the Shetland Islands

More from Merriam-Webster on mainland

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mainland

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