plural areas
1
a
: a part or section within a larger place : region
Settlers came to this area from the east.
The group visited the area during a hunting trip.
in the area surrounding the lake
The storm caused damage in many areas along the coast.
a bird found only in remote areas of the U.S.
in many areas of the world
He is the metropolitan area's most popular politician.
urban and rural areas
He lived in an unfashionable area of the city.
a residential area
One of our representatives will be in your area [=neighborhood] next week.
b
: a section of space within a building, room, etc.
She set aside a work area in the kitchen.
The dining area has extra windows.
We were asked to wait in the reception area.
The park had several picnic areas.
2
: a part of the surface of something (such as a person's body or a piece of cloth)
Choose a small area of the fabric to test first.
The patient was having pain in the shoulder/abdominal area. = The patient was having pain in the area of the shoulder/abdomen.
3
: a field of activity or study
The discovery has opened up new areas of/for research.
The budget continues to be a major area of concern.
a problem area
the whole area of foreign policy
She wants the government to provide more help in the area of health care.
Your question falls outside my area of expertise.
There are still some areas of disagreement between the two sides.
4
: the amount of space inside a shape, surface, region, room, etc.
The students learned how to calculate the area of a triangle.
a circle with an area of 500 square meters
The park has an area of 2 square miles.
a circle that is 500 square meters in area
(chiefly US) The nightclub provided enough area [=room, space] for a dance floor.
Cite this Entry
“Area.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/area. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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