main stem
noun
: a main trunk or channel: such as
a
: the main course of a river or stream
b
: the main street of a city or town
Examples of main stem in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Its main stem flows 2,350 miles from the headwaters at Lake Itasca in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, touching 10 states and spreading out into many more with its tributaries.
—
Amy Graff, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Image The annual weeklong paddling expedition covers about 80 miles of the river’s main stem, with a different section done each year.
—Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Indeterminate tomatoes grow larger than determinate types but are commonly pruned to a single main stem.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2025
Heading cuts are intended to remove the terminal bud at the end of a main stem where most growth takes place and redirect the plant’s energies toward growth on side branches.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for main stem
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.
Amy Graff, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Image The annual weeklong paddling expedition covers about 80 miles of the river’s main stem, with a different section done each year.
—Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Indeterminate tomatoes grow larger than determinate types but are commonly pruned to a single main stem.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2025
Heading cuts are intended to remove the terminal bud at the end of a main stem where most growth takes place and redirect the plant’s energies toward growth on side branches.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for main stem
Cite this Entry
“Main stem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/main%20stem. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share