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

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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 Huang visited mainland China at least three times last year, including in January for Lunar New Year celebrations. Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026 So Andrew landed a new gig on the mainland at Western Michigan, currently ranked 18th, losses to Tulane and Notre Dame. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 23 Jan. 2026 The characters here, though, are nowhere near so smart as those conniving pagans and can only dream of outwitting the sophisticated folk from the mainland, coming there with their talk of cake, and comfy chairs, and their lies. Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2026 In the more southerly route, sea voyagers traveled directly to the Australian mainland via Timor or nearby islands. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 21 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mainland
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mainland
continent
Noun
  • Over seven months, the quartet performed 81 shows across three continents to more than 2 million attendees, cementing their status as the highest-grossing touring act among female K-pop groups.
    Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Martin Farquhar Tupper, a poet and an antiquarian favored by Queen Victoria, argued that Rapa Nui was the remnant of a lost continent whose people had perished.
    Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

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

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