Definition of mainstay
1 : a ship's stay extending from the maintop forward usually to the foot of the foremast
2 : a chief support
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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
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The banking sector is a mainstay of the Lebanese economy.
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The old economic mainstays of crop farming, raising chickens and catching fish and crabs provide jobs and preserve the area’s character, but all three industries face economic pressures that make their future uncertain.
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The mainstay reds of the Snake River AVA are syrah, tempranillo, malbec, merlot, mourvedre, and some big chewy cabs.
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While some mall mainstays have struggled, Amazon has been thriving.
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She's been a mainstay atop the lineup in center the last two seasons.
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The Class 3A boys state soccer championship will feature one squad making its title-game debut and another that has become a mainstay at the state tournament.
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The model has been a mainstay at the iconic film festival for years, but has been keeping a low profile since the birth of her first child in March.
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Once a mainstay of entertainment in small towns and big cities across the country, Ringling had two touring circuses this season, one of which ended its run earlier this month in Providence, Rhode Island .
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
MAINSTAY Defined for English Language Learners
mainstay
playDefinition of mainstay for English Language Learners
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: 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
playDefinition 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
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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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