the international date line
noun
: an imaginary line that runs through the Pacific Ocean from the North Pole to the South Pole and that marks the place where each day officially begins
As we crossed the international date line we were suddenly in the next day.
Examples of the international date line in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Alaska is separated from Russia at its closest point by just 3 miles (less than 5 kilometers) and the international date line.
—
Michelle L. Price, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
The remote island lies 2.4 miles from Russia's Big Diomede Island, which sits on the opposite side of the international date line.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025
Hurricanes are tropical cyclones with sustained winds of more than 74 mph (119 km/h) that develop east of the international date line.
—Tom Brown, Space.com, 29 June 2025
The next morning, travelers will board their private Airbus A321 jet to cross the international date line and fly to Japan in luxury, with lie-flat seats, in-flight connectivity, and complimentary Bose noise-cancelling headsets.
—Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2025
Swift headed to Las Vegas to watch the Chiefs face off against the 49ers following her Eras Tour show in Tokyo the day before — her appearance made possible thanks to the international date line.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 12 Feb. 2024
It had been scheduled to take off that morning, cross the international date line during a 7-hour-and-15 minute flight over the Pacific Ocean and then land in Honolulu in the early evening of New Year’s Eve, giving its passengers more than five hours to prepare to welcome 2024 a second time.
—Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 3 Jan. 2024
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Michelle L. Price, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
The remote island lies 2.4 miles from Russia's Big Diomede Island, which sits on the opposite side of the international date line.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025
Hurricanes are tropical cyclones with sustained winds of more than 74 mph (119 km/h) that develop east of the international date line.
—Tom Brown, Space.com, 29 June 2025
The next morning, travelers will board their private Airbus A321 jet to cross the international date line and fly to Japan in luxury, with lie-flat seats, in-flight connectivity, and complimentary Bose noise-cancelling headsets.
—Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2025
Swift headed to Las Vegas to watch the Chiefs face off against the 49ers following her Eras Tour show in Tokyo the day before — her appearance made possible thanks to the international date line.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 12 Feb. 2024
It had been scheduled to take off that morning, cross the international date line during a 7-hour-and-15 minute flight over the Pacific Ocean and then land in Honolulu in the early evening of New Year’s Eve, giving its passengers more than five hours to prepare to welcome 2024 a second time.
—Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 3 Jan. 2024
Cite this Entry
“The international date line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20international%20date%20line. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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