as in islands
a ring-shaped land mass surrounded by water and made of coral
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Recent Examples of atolls
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
Scattered across the lapis lazuli expanse of the Indian Ocean, Seychelles is a collection of 115 islands and atolls off the coast of East Africa, one of the world's most remote and least populated nations.
—Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Dec. 2025
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
Known as the Xisha Islands in China and Hoang Sa Islands in Vietnam, the chain of reefs and atolls lies about 300 nautical miles south of the Chinese mainland and has long been a regional flashpoint.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2025
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
Scattered across the lapis lazuli expanse of the Indian Ocean, Seychelles is a collection of 115 islands and atolls off the coast of East Africa, one of the world's most remote and least populated nations.
—Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Dec. 2025
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
Known as the Xisha Islands in China and Hoang Sa Islands in Vietnam, the chain of reefs and atolls lies about 300 nautical miles south of the Chinese mainland and has long been a regional flashpoint.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atolls
Noun
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Nesting waterbirds Herons, egrets and pelicans are putting on quite a show in mangroves and tree islands throughout South Florida.—
Lois K. Solomon,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2026
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Green said his chief of staff spoke to the White House and received assurances the islands would have federal support.—
Jennifer Sinco Kelleher,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Toward Smarter Cell Therapies That is where the cyborg islets from Liu and Alvarez could make a difference.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
4 Mar. 2026
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Each lodging also comes with its own powerboat, perfect for exploring nearby islets and hopping over to the marinas at nearby cays.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atolls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atolls. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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