mainland

noun

ˈmān-ˌland How to pronounce mainland (audio)
Definition of mainlandnext
as in continent
one of the great divisions of land on the globe or the main part of such a division the boat back to the mainland leaves once every two days

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of mainland The Cheng family owners originally came from Shunde in mainland China. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 June 2026 In Isla de la Juventud, south of mainland Cuba, Marlys Ruiz has built a platform around a different kind of visibility. — Vera Lucia Pappaterra, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026 In mainland China, the $50 million–$100 million cohort has been compounding at nearly 31% annually since 2000. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 June 2026 Most development in Hawaii falls within Special Management Areas, triggering archaeological and environmental review requirements that few mainland markets face. — Jonathan Tower, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for mainland
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mainland
continent
Noun
  • Heat danger is a problem being felt across Europe, which has the oldest population of any continent and is also the world's fastest-warming continent.
    — Leigh Kiniry, CBS News, 30 June 2026
  • Total exports of portable air conditioners from China to Western Europe had already surged 70% in the first five months of 2026, before severe summer heat swept the AC-shy continent.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of continent

Browse Nearby Words

main
mainland
mainlands
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mainland.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mainland. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on mainland

Nglish: Translation of mainland for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mainland

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All