plural mainstays
1
a
: a crucial or key part of something
Fish is the mainstay of their diet.
Tourism is a mainstay of the city's economy.
The mainstay of treatment for chronic hives of unknown origin is antihistamine medications.—
Mayo Clinic Health Letter
Mayo Clinic Health Letter
b
: someone or something that is a principal or reliable support or resource
Tourism is one of the city's economic mainstays.
Her immense pride in him and unquestioning support were among the few mainstays in his life.—Robert V. Remini
Robert V. Remini2
: a ship's stay (see stay entry 1 sense 1) extending from the maintop forward usually to the foot of the foremast
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 on the Web
Urie has long been a comic mainstay on Broadway and television, but Baldwin’s nineteen-eighties version of the Elizabethan history play (shoulder pads, the Eurythmics, neon) triggers his impressive tragic capacity.
—Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2025
Despite constant trend turnover, the best Chelsea boots are too versatile a wardrobe mainstay to ever actually leave our shoe rotation.
—India Roby, Glamour, 27 Nov. 2025
Los Angeles runs one of the highest rates of dime personnel in the NFL, opening up six spots for defensive backs, with safeties Kam Kinchens and Kam Curl as the mainstays of the group with Lake out.
—Nate Atkins, New York Times, 27 Nov. 2025
The ratings soared – and outside of a couple years in the 1970s, Dallas has been a Thanksgiving mainstay ever since.
—Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mainstay
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.
Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2025
Despite constant trend turnover, the best Chelsea boots are too versatile a wardrobe mainstay to ever actually leave our shoe rotation.
—India Roby, Glamour, 27 Nov. 2025
Los Angeles runs one of the highest rates of dime personnel in the NFL, opening up six spots for defensive backs, with safeties Kam Kinchens and Kam Curl as the mainstays of the group with Lake out.
—Nate Atkins, New York Times, 27 Nov. 2025
The ratings soared – and outside of a couple years in the 1970s, Dallas has been a Thanksgiving mainstay ever since.
—Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mainstay
Cite this Entry
“Mainstay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mainstay. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mainstay
noun
main·stay
-ˌstā 
1
: a large strong rope running from the maintop of a ship usually to the foot of the foremast
2
: a chief support
the mainstay of the family
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share