as in islands
a ring-shaped land mass surrounded by water and made of coral
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Recent Examples of atolls
This island is farther flung than most, but the 35-minute flight by seaplane from Mal gives a spectacular view of the atolls at 5000 feet.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
The Republic of the Marshall Islands, or RMI, is situated roughly halfway between Hawaii and Australia and comprises 29 atolls, five islands, and 1,151 inlets, spread across 750,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean.
—Cheri Lucas Rowlands, Longreads, 21 Apr. 2026
Pritzker Prize–winning architect Tadao Ando designed the Naoshima New Museum of Art, which opened last May, overlooking the remote atolls of the Seto Inland Sea.
—Kathryn O’Shea-Evans, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2026
The atolls and rocks that made up the Chagos Archipelago offered more meager economic possibilities.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
The radiation effects have been ruinous, according to US government reports cited by the Atomic Heritage Foundation, which said the testing was responsible for 55% of cancers on some of the islands’ northern atolls.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
The main islands, including Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, Oahu and Kauai, are among a chain of islands, atolls, reefs and volcanoes beneath the sea that stretches 1,700 miles in the Pacific Ocean.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
With roughly 180 resorts spread across its atolls, there are dozens of worthy five-star escapes to choose from.
—Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025
That includes lifeguard Renan Ulloa at the Parks department, which is ending lifeguard service at natural swimming holes known as atolls.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
The Republic of the Marshall Islands, or RMI, is situated roughly halfway between Hawaii and Australia and comprises 29 atolls, five islands, and 1,151 inlets, spread across 750,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean.
—Cheri Lucas Rowlands, Longreads, 21 Apr. 2026
Pritzker Prize–winning architect Tadao Ando designed the Naoshima New Museum of Art, which opened last May, overlooking the remote atolls of the Seto Inland Sea.
—Kathryn O’Shea-Evans, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2026
The atolls and rocks that made up the Chagos Archipelago offered more meager economic possibilities.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
The radiation effects have been ruinous, according to US government reports cited by the Atomic Heritage Foundation, which said the testing was responsible for 55% of cancers on some of the islands’ northern atolls.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
The main islands, including Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, Oahu and Kauai, are among a chain of islands, atolls, reefs and volcanoes beneath the sea that stretches 1,700 miles in the Pacific Ocean.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
With roughly 180 resorts spread across its atolls, there are dozens of worthy five-star escapes to choose from.
—Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025
That includes lifeguard Renan Ulloa at the Parks department, which is ending lifeguard service at natural swimming holes known as atolls.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atolls
Noun
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Here are some of the most underrated islands in Italy.—
Nicky Swallow,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
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For example, small islands are far more abundant than large ones—a pattern of complexity that makes the distribution of sizes for Earth’s islands fractal, too.—
Alex Music,
Scientific American,
16 May 2026
Noun
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Rent one from Sea Panarea to discover hidden coves, sea caves, and the nearby islets of Basiluzzo and Lisca before settling in for sunset Negronis at the see-and-be-seen Bar del Porto.—
Nicky Swallow,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
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From sailing along the islets of Daku and Naked Island, to kite surfing and paddle boarding, water activities come in troves here.—
Skyli Alvarez,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atolls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atolls. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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