mainstream

1 of 3

noun

main·​stream ˈmān-ˌstrēm 

: a prevailing current or direction of activity or influence

mainstream adjective

mainstream

2 of 3

adjective

main·​stream

: having, reflecting, or being compatible with the prevailing attitudes and values of a society or group

mainstream media

movies that appeal to a mainstream audience

mainstream success

mainstream

3 of 3

verb

main·​stream ˈmān-ˈstrēm 

mainstreamed; mainstreaming; mainstreams

transitive verb

1

: to place (a student, such as a disabled child) in regular school classes

2

: to incorporate in the mainstream

Examples of mainstream in a Sentence

Verb

The poor should be mainstreamed into the private health-insurance system.

Ideas that were once controversial have now become mainstreamed.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The obsession hobby can be traced all the way back to the 1960s, but didn’t become mainstream until the 1990s and early 2000s. —Chris Branch, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025

Lewinsky, too, has faced the scrutiny of mainstream media's sometimes harsh light. —Jay Stahl, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025

Adjective

The intuition is that a dollar of EPS that comes from a mainstream non-financial firm’s operating activities deserves a higher valuation multiple than a dollar of financing income. —Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025

Although mainstream media focuses on Black Rock City, there are Burning Man events all over the world. —Gina Park, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025

Verb

For those accustomed to mainstream Irish blends, Redbreast 12 is a transformative experience. —Emily Price, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025

But the road to mainstream stardom felt lightyears away when Jacinto—who was named one of People Magazine's Sexiest Men Alive in 2024—first moved to L.A. in 2012. —Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 8 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1599, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1955, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1974, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mainstream

• the mainstream

Rhymes for mainstream

• abeam
• airstream
• bloodstream
• daydream
• downstream
• esteem
• extreme
• grapheme
• hakim
• hornbeam
• lexeme
• midstream

Kids Definition

mainstream

noun

main·​stream

-ˌstrēm

: the principal current or direction of activity or influence

Medical Definition

mainstream

adjective

main·​stream ˌmān-ˌstrēm 

: relating to or being tobacco smoke that is drawn (as from a cigarette) directly into the mouth of the smoker and is usually inhaled into the lungs compare sidestream