mainland
noun
main·land
ˈmān-ˌland 
-lənd
: a continent or the main part of a continent as distinguished from an offshore island or sometimes from a cape or peninsula
Examples of mainland in a Sentence
the boat back to the mainland leaves once every two days
Recent Examples on the Web
Some Asian markets were still closed for the holidays, including Japan and mainland China.
—
Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
In mainland China, the community has faced an intensifying crackdown since Xi Jinping came to power more than a decade ago; Pride parades have been canceled, films and TV shows featuring same-sex themes banned, and LGBTQ+ accounts shut down on the nation’s most popular messaging app.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
The stops were part of federal immigration operations in the Upper Keys that appear to be targeting undocumented immigrants commuting to work in the island chain from the mainland.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
Hainan, a tourist destination famed for its resorts, this week became a duty-free region and now allows foreign companies to operate in sectors there that they are barred from in mainland China.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mainland
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Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
In mainland China, the community has faced an intensifying crackdown since Xi Jinping came to power more than a decade ago; Pride parades have been canceled, films and TV shows featuring same-sex themes banned, and LGBTQ+ accounts shut down on the nation’s most popular messaging app.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
The stops were part of federal immigration operations in the Upper Keys that appear to be targeting undocumented immigrants commuting to work in the island chain from the mainland.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
Hainan, a tourist destination famed for its resorts, this week became a duty-free region and now allows foreign companies to operate in sectors there that they are barred from in mainland China.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mainland
Cite this Entry
“Mainland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mainland. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mainland
noun
main·land
ˈmān-ˌland
-lənd
: a continent or the main part of a continent as distinguished from an offshore island or sometimes from a cape or peninsula
mainlander
noun
Geographical Definition
Mainland
geographical name
Main·land
ˈmān-ˌland
-lənd
1
2
island in northern Scotland; largest of the Orkney Islands
3
island in northern Scotland; largest of the Shetland Islands
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