mainstay

noun main·stay \ ˈmān-ˌstā \

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of mainstay

1 : a ship's stay extending from the maintop forward usually to the foot of the foremast

2 : a chief support

See mainstay defined for English-language learners

See mainstay defined for kids

Examples of mainstay in a Sentence

Fish is a mainstay of their diet.
My mother has always been the mainstay of our family.

Recent Examples of mainstay from the Web

Unlike those mass-market mainstays, Vero does not track people, Hariri claims.

— robert hackett, Fortune, "Cyber Saturday—Meet Vero, a Lebanese Billionaire's Anti-Facebook," 14 Apr. 2018
Later this week, the company will feature its first celebrity guest host, with Dwanye Johnson taking over duties from mainstay Scott Rogowsky on Wednesday in a record-breaking $300,000 game.

— nick statt, The Verge, "HQ now lets you see which friends are actually your competitors," 9 Apr. 2018
Getting new aircraft is crucial for Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the South Asian nation faces increased risks from neighboring Pakistan and China at a time when the Russian MiG fighters -- India’s mainstay -- are being phased out.

— anurag kotoky, Bloomberg.com, "India Seeks $15 Billion Fighter Jets in World's Largest Deal," 6 Apr. 2018
After a uneasy first season back in the top flight, the Magpies will be aiming to become Premier League mainstays once again and that could mean signing some defensive reinforcements.

— SI.com, "Newcastle United Prepared to Let Defensive Pair Leave for Free at the End of the Season," 5 Apr. 2018
Fifth Avenue, Royal Oak With more than 30 beers on tap and 40 HD TVs, this Royal Oak mainstay is a great spot for watching sports.

— susan selasky, Detroit Free Press, "Hit the town to watch Michigan basketball's NCAA title game," 2 Apr. 2018
The Avengers shows a nuclear cruise missile and the Pentagon’s mainstay in that department is the AGM-86.

— joe pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Hollywood Has No Idea How Nukes Work," 2 Apr. 2018
And the offensive line is the big mystery for the Horned Frogs this spring after losing four mainstays to graduation.

— stefan stevenson, star-telegram, "Will TCU's transition to Shawn Robinson go smoothly? It depends on the trenches | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 28 Mar. 2018
The twin-engine jet is the mainstay of Navy and Marine Corps aviation, and the Pentagon asked for 14 of them at a cost of $1.3 billion.

— brad lendon, CNN, "What the massive US military budget pays for," 28 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mainstay.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of mainstay

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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mainstay Synonyms

Synonyms

anchor, buttress, dependence (also dependance), pillar, reliance, standby;

Related Words

backbone, sinew(s), spine;

right hand;

bolsterer, crutch, handmaiden (also handmaid), prop, stay;

anchorage, harbor, refuge;

Other Nautical Terms

avast, aweigh, flotsam, jib, keel, lee, port, starboard, stay

MAINSTAY Defined for English Language Learners

mainstay

noun

Definition of mainstay for English Language Learners

: a very important part of something : something or someone that provides support and makes it possible for something to exist or succeed

MAINSTAY Defined for Kids

mainstay

noun main·stay \ ˈmān-ˌstā \

Definition of mainstay for Students

1 : the large strong rope from the maintop of a ship usually to the foot of the foremast

2 : a chief support

the mainstay of the family

Learn More about mainstay

See words that rhyme with mainstay Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for mainstay Spanish Central: Translation of mainstay Nglish: Translation of mainstay for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of mainstay for Arabic speakers

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mainstay

Definition of mainstay

Examples of mainstay in a Sentence

Recent Examples of mainstay from the Web

First Known Use of mainstay

mainstay Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Nautical Terms

MAINSTAY Defined for English Language Learners

mainstay

Definition of mainstay for English Language Learners

MAINSTAY Defined for Kids

mainstay

Definition of mainstay for Students

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