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
Today, the village is separated from the mainland by about 660 yards of shimmering turquoise water where fishermen paddle on homemade rafts.
—
Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 31 May 2026
And Pino was not the only person on Elliott Key; several of the girls on his boat were also there, waiting to be taken back to the mainland.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 29 May 2026
The story of this pivotal moment in World War II, which gave the Allies a foothold in mainland Europe and spelled the beginning of the end for Adolf Hitler’s forces, has been recounted in countless books, movies and miniseries.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 29 May 2026
The ancient ruins of the Roman baths of Antoninus—the largest in the world outside of mainland Italy—are in her hometown.
—Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mainland
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Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 31 May 2026
And Pino was not the only person on Elliott Key; several of the girls on his boat were also there, waiting to be taken back to the mainland.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 29 May 2026
The story of this pivotal moment in World War II, which gave the Allies a foothold in mainland Europe and spelled the beginning of the end for Adolf Hitler’s forces, has been recounted in countless books, movies and miniseries.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 29 May 2026
The ancient ruins of the Roman baths of Antoninus—the largest in the world outside of mainland Italy—are in her hometown.
—Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mainland
Cite this Entry
“Mainland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mainland. Accessed 5 Jun. 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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