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
Cyril Soliman, The Drive, 5 Feb. 2026
No credible mainstream media has reported if the Bucks will or won’t trade him this week; that remains something of a mystery.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
That part of his message, at least, is now mainstream.
—Xochitl Gonzalez, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2026
Directors, including Robert Rodriguez (2005’s Sin City) and Tony Scott (2005’s Domino), offered him juicy supporting roles, reintroducing him to mainstream audiences.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mainstream
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.
Noun
What began as a mainstream electric hatch has matured into something genuinely desirable.
—Cyril Soliman, The Drive, 5 Feb. 2026
No credible mainstream media has reported if the Bucks will or won’t trade him this week; that remains something of a mystery.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
The silhouette moved into mainstream fashion in the 1950s, embraced by designers like Coco Chanel and popularized by style icons such as Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
That part of his message, at least, is now mainstream.
—Xochitl Gonzalez, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
Skepticism came easily to Trump, who had long been hostile to mainstream foreign policy.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2026
Directors, including Robert Rodriguez (2005’s Sin City) and Tony Scott (2005’s Domino), offered him juicy supporting roles, reintroducing him to mainstream audiences.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 4 Jan. 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 9 Feb. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
