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
Recent Examples on the Web
Pritzker Prize–winning architect Tadao Ando designed the Naoshima New Museum of Art, which opened last May, overlooking the remote atolls of the Seto Inland Sea.
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Kathryn O’Shea-Evans, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2026
The atolls and rocks that made up the Chagos Archipelago offered more meager economic possibilities.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
The Brando Located on the atoll of Tetiaroa in French Polynesia, The Brando resort is the stuff vacation dreams are made of.
—Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Drowsy honeymooners; now and again a group of Tahitian wildlife experts, alighted on the atoll to examine a particularly impressive giant clam.
—Antonia Quirke, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
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Kathryn O’Shea-Evans, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2026
The atolls and rocks that made up the Chagos Archipelago offered more meager economic possibilities.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
The Brando Located on the atoll of Tetiaroa in French Polynesia, The Brando resort is the stuff vacation dreams are made of.
—Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Drowsy honeymooners; now and again a group of Tahitian wildlife experts, alighted on the atoll to examine a particularly impressive giant clam.
—Antonia Quirke, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for atoll
Cite this Entry
“Atoll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atoll. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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