1
as in prairies
a broad area of level or rolling treeless country
the first settlers in that area lived on the vast plains in lonely log cabins
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in expanses
a wide space or area
the vast plains of snow-covered earth that seemed to stretch endlessly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plains
It’s supposed to be rolling plains, prairies … with intermittent tree cover.
—
Julia James, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
While the airport fell just short of 90 degrees, many communities across the plains surged into the low 90s — an extraordinary feat for March.
—Joe Ruch, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Migrations of these fish, like migrations of buffalo on the American plains once did, shape ecosystems, livelihoods and culture.
—Zeb Hogan, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
The preserve includes a 4,200-square-foot lodge , multiple guest accommodations and a private collection of animals — east African plains zebras, 75-year-old sulcata tortoises, African Watusi cattle, ostriches and more — that are available to transfer with the sale.
—David Caraccio
march 21, Sacbee.com, 21 Mar. 2026
Heat in Los Angeles will peak March 17 through March 19, with highs between 90 and 103 degrees across coastal plains, valleys and the interior region.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
These mammals are found across North America, residing in every kind of habitat from hardwood forests to coastal plains to swamps.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026
Wilson’s menu will include dishes like Shima aji (which is glazed from its own bones); crepe brulee with high-plains cheddar, smoked fig caramel, and Tennessee black truffle; and a swordfish belly with za’tar spice and calamansi.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2026
Julia James, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
While the airport fell just short of 90 degrees, many communities across the plains surged into the low 90s — an extraordinary feat for March.
—Joe Ruch, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Migrations of these fish, like migrations of buffalo on the American plains once did, shape ecosystems, livelihoods and culture.
—Zeb Hogan, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
The preserve includes a 4,200-square-foot lodge , multiple guest accommodations and a private collection of animals — east African plains zebras, 75-year-old sulcata tortoises, African Watusi cattle, ostriches and more — that are available to transfer with the sale.
—David Caraccio
march 21, Sacbee.com, 21 Mar. 2026
Heat in Los Angeles will peak March 17 through March 19, with highs between 90 and 103 degrees across coastal plains, valleys and the interior region.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
These mammals are found across North America, residing in every kind of habitat from hardwood forests to coastal plains to swamps.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026
Wilson’s menu will include dishes like Shima aji (which is glazed from its own bones); crepe brulee with high-plains cheddar, smoked fig caramel, and Tennessee black truffle; and a swordfish belly with za’tar spice and calamansi.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plains
Noun
-
The medium-size canines, weighing anywhere from 20 to 40 pounds, moved in to fill the ecological gaps, pushing their turf beyond prairies and deserts to include forests and, eventually, urban areas.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Now, almost all the prairies are gone, and much of the woods, too.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The world’s continents are fringed by vast expanses of sand and mud.—
David George Haskell,
Big Think,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Driving east on Route 80 toward the Meta site in Holly Ridge, an unincorporated rural community about 15 minutes east of Rayville—the landscape is defined by flat expanses of soybean and cotton fields, punctuated by grain silos, grazing cows, and the occasional tractor.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Longer-running hiking trips take you everywhere from Western Greenland to the sea cliffs of the Faroe Islands, the steppes of Mongolia, or the Tien Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan.—
The Editors,
Outside,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Folktales are filled with people fighting to survive in forests, steppes, and deserts, and evading and outwitting the wild beasts that dwell within them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But expansions have a way of behaving like yeast.—
David Caraccio
March 28,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Other expansions in Charlotte with big job numbers Capital Group joins a growing list of major moves by companies expanding in the Charlotte region, adding hundreds of jobs.—
Brian Gordon,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Manchester State Park features a beach, sand dunes and flat grasslands, with nearly 18,000 feet of ocean frontage, according to the park’s website.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The lack of rain is causing native grasslands to be replaced by desert shrubs, shrinking the available grazing habitat for cattle.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
No colonial power had ever controlled the swamps and savannas of the interior—an alien land of lagoons, glade marshes, prairies, and hardwood thickets.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
-
The park offers one of the most exciting wildlife experiences in Southern Africa, with a million acres of biodiverse savannas, wetlands, and montane rainforests, and a range of animals that includes buffalo herds, lion prides, and an array of birds.—
Lisa Grainger,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plains. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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