Illustration of atoll
: a coral island consisting of a reef surrounding a lagoon
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If you are lucky enough to sail south and west of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean, you'll find the Maldives, a group of about 1,200 coral islands and sandbanks that form the Republic of Maldives. Many islands in that independent nation demonstrate the archetypal atoll, and geographers often use them to point out the characteristic features of such coral islands. Given how prevalent atolls are there, it isn't surprising that atoll comes from the name for that kind of island in Divehi, the official language of the Maldives.
Examples of atoll in a Sentence
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The project, launched on the atoll of Woleai in the Federated States of Micronesia, is approximately 400 miles south of Guam, a U.S. territory and military hub considered key to Washington's ability to project power in the Asia-Pacific.
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Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
In French Polynesia After touching down on the pristine atoll of Tetiaroa, once the retreat of Tahitian royalty, going barefoot on the warm, powder-soft sands will feel less like a choice and more like a natural response.
—Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
On a coral atoll in the Western Pacific, the device grew slowly.
—William J. Broad, New York Times, 19 May 2025
The atoll, located about 140 miles from the Philippines' Luzon Island, is a rich fishing ground and a long-standing flashpoint in territorial disputes.
—Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
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Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
In French Polynesia After touching down on the pristine atoll of Tetiaroa, once the retreat of Tahitian royalty, going barefoot on the warm, powder-soft sands will feel less like a choice and more like a natural response.
—Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
On a coral atoll in the Western Pacific, the device grew slowly.
—William J. Broad, New York Times, 19 May 2025
The atoll, located about 140 miles from the Philippines' Luzon Island, is a rich fishing ground and a long-standing flashpoint in territorial disputes.
—Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for atoll
Cite this Entry
“Atoll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atoll. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.
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