1
: a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas
2
: a narrow anatomical part or passage connecting two larger structures or cavities
Examples of isthmus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The city was built on an isthmus — a thin strip of land between two bodies of water.
—
Berly McCoy, NPR, 27 Feb. 2026
Mehmet Yaren Bozgun / Anadolu via Getty Images The Mexican government plans to turn the isthmus into a strategic corridor for international trade, with ports and rail lines that can connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
—CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025
The Mexican government has sought to develop the isthmus into a strategic trade corridor, expanding ports, railways and industrial infrastructure with the goal of creating a route that could compete with the Panama Canal.
—Natalia Siniawski, USA Today, 29 Dec. 2025
By Kat Chen August 6, 2024 The Best Things to Do in Panama: Surfing, Coffee Tastings, and Private Island Stays
One visit just barely scratches the surface of the isthmus nation that straddles Central and South America.
—David Amsden, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Dec. 2025
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Berly McCoy, NPR, 27 Feb. 2026
Mehmet Yaren Bozgun / Anadolu via Getty Images The Mexican government plans to turn the isthmus into a strategic corridor for international trade, with ports and rail lines that can connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
—CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025
The Mexican government has sought to develop the isthmus into a strategic trade corridor, expanding ports, railways and industrial infrastructure with the goal of creating a route that could compete with the Panama Canal.
—Natalia Siniawski, USA Today, 29 Dec. 2025
By Kat Chen August 6, 2024 The Best Things to Do in Panama: Surfing, Coffee Tastings, and Private Island Stays
One visit just barely scratches the surface of the isthmus nation that straddles Central and South America.
—David Amsden, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for isthmus
Cite this Entry
“Isthmus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/isthmus. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
isthmus
noun
isth·mus
ˈis-məs 
: a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas
Medical Definition
isthmus
noun
isth·mus
ˈis-məs
: a contracted anatomical part or passage connecting two larger structures or cavities: as
a
: an embryonic constriction separating the midbrain from the hindbrain
b
: the lower portion of the uterine corpus
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