main·stream
ˈmān-ˌstrēm 
: a prevailing current or direction of activity or influence
mainstream
adjective
main·stream
: having, reflecting, or being compatible with the prevailing attitudes and values of a society or group
mainstream media
movies that appeal to a mainstream audience
mainstream success
main·stream
ˈmān-ˈstrēm
mainstreamed; mainstreaming; mainstreams
1
: to place (a student, such as a disabled child) in regular school classes
2
: to incorporate in the mainstream
Examples of mainstream in a Sentence
Verb
The poor should be mainstreamed into the private health-insurance system.
Ideas that were once controversial have now become mainstreamed.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2026
Hiding in ‘plane’ sight Close observers of American politics may have reason to believe that Qatar’s web of influence is far broader than official disclosure and mainstream press reports suggest.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 3 Jan. 2026
Daniel Wortel-London, Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
Movies from Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers, like No Other Land and The Voice of Hind Rajab, have been recognized critically and with awards but also struggled to find mainstream distribution.
—Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Jan. 2026
Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 4 Jan. 2026
Coinbase released the report at a time when crypto is becoming increasingly available to mainstream investors of all ages.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mainstream
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Noun
Sure, in Connecticut, women’s hoops has long been covered as a mainstream sport; readers and viewers demand it.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2026
Hiding in ‘plane’ sight Close observers of American politics may have reason to believe that Qatar’s web of influence is far broader than official disclosure and mainstream press reports suggest.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 3 Jan. 2026
Adjective
The result was that, where earlier fiscal crises had been met by waves of municipal-level revolts against mainstream economic policies, New York witnessed no such revolts in the 1970s.
—Daniel Wortel-London, Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
Movies from Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers, like No Other Land and The Voice of Hind Rajab, have been recognized critically and with awards but also struggled to find mainstream distribution.
—Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Jan. 2026
Verb
Directors, including Robert Rodriguez (2005’s Sin City) and Tony Scott (2005’s Domino), offered him juicy supporting roles, reintroducing him to mainstream audiences.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 4 Jan. 2026
Coinbase released the report at a time when crypto is becoming increasingly available to mainstream investors of all ages.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mainstream
Cite this Entry
“Mainstream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mainstream. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
mainstream
adjective
main·stream
ˌmān-ˌstrēm
: relating to or being tobacco smoke that is drawn (as from a cigarette) directly into the mouth of the smoker and is usually inhaled into the lungs compare sidestream
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