main·stream
ˈmān-ˌstrēm 
: a prevailing current or direction of activity or influence
mainstream
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
main·stream
ˈmān-ˈstrēm
mainstreamed; mainstreaming; mainstreams
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
Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2026
The one that seems most poised to go mainstream is the haircut rocked by chief bestie Allie Hayes, or Allie-Cat according to her puck bud, college hockey star Dean Di Laurentis, who went ahead and put the pet in pet name.
—Elle Turner, Glamour, 18 June 2026
Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2026
That dynamic proved especially important after the primary, when Jackson aggressively courted supporters of Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger — more mainstream Republicans who together won roughly one-quarter of the vote in May.
—Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 17 June 2026
Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
Musk has proved skeptics wrong plenty of times before, successfully making electric vehicles mainstream and revolutionizing space launches with reusable rockets.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for mainstream
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Noun
Birding has exploded from a niche hobby into a mainstream pastime, driven by the pandemic outdoor-recreation boom and amplified by apps and social media.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2026
The one that seems most poised to go mainstream is the haircut rocked by chief bestie Allie Hayes, or Allie-Cat according to her puck bud, college hockey star Dean Di Laurentis, who went ahead and put the pet in pet name.
—Elle Turner, Glamour, 18 June 2026
Adjective
Birding has gone fully mainstream in 2026, and millions of new converts are asking the same beginner questions.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2026
That dynamic proved especially important after the primary, when Jackson aggressively courted supporters of Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger — more mainstream Republicans who together won roughly one-quarter of the vote in May.
—Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 17 June 2026
Verb
Gut health has moved from niche wellness chatter to mainstream obsession, and luxury retreats are racing to meet demand with bespoke microbiome programs, fasting cures and digestive overhauls.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
Musk has proved skeptics wrong plenty of times before, successfully making electric vehicles mainstream and revolutionizing space launches with reusable rockets.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for mainstream
Cite this Entry
“Mainstream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mainstream. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical 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
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