as in mainlands
one of the great divisions of land on the globe or the main part of such a division
Europe and Asia are sometimes considered together to be one continent
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Recent Examples of continents
Alyssa Ramos’ evacuation from Kuwait involved a 48-hour journey across four continents.
—
Hallie Golden, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
From the steamy streets of Carnival in the late 1970s to the 18th century Arctic tundra and an eerily familiar, fictionalized version of present-day America, this year’s nominees span decades, genres, continents and cultures.
—Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
Previously Editor in Chief of Condé Nast Traveller Middle East, Sarah Khan has reported from seven continents for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, Afar, Robb Report, and many others.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Mar. 2026
Never mind the 37 countries, 103 destinations and five continents that passengers aboard the Azamara Quest will cover over 188 nights, from a January departure in foggy San Francisco to a July arrival in cloggy Copenhagen.
—David Dickstein, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026
His restaurants span five continents, with 40 locations worldwide.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2026
For over a decade, Claire and Jamie Fraser have loved each other across centuries, continents, and wars; their devotion as enduring as the Highland mist that first enveloped their story.
—Carly Witteman, Vogue, 3 Mar. 2026
That is how Poway resident Tracy Roth described completing seven marathons in seven days on seven continents.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
The same species showing up in both China and Canada suggests a surprisingly interconnected early ocean half a billion years ago, with currents carrying larvae across vast distances and connecting ecosystems now separated by entire continents.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
Hallie Golden, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
From the steamy streets of Carnival in the late 1970s to the 18th century Arctic tundra and an eerily familiar, fictionalized version of present-day America, this year’s nominees span decades, genres, continents and cultures.
—Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
Previously Editor in Chief of Condé Nast Traveller Middle East, Sarah Khan has reported from seven continents for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, Afar, Robb Report, and many others.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Mar. 2026
Never mind the 37 countries, 103 destinations and five continents that passengers aboard the Azamara Quest will cover over 188 nights, from a January departure in foggy San Francisco to a July arrival in cloggy Copenhagen.
—David Dickstein, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026
His restaurants span five continents, with 40 locations worldwide.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2026
For over a decade, Claire and Jamie Fraser have loved each other across centuries, continents, and wars; their devotion as enduring as the Highland mist that first enveloped their story.
—Carly Witteman, Vogue, 3 Mar. 2026
That is how Poway resident Tracy Roth described completing seven marathons in seven days on seven continents.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
The same species showing up in both China and Canada suggests a surprisingly interconnected early ocean half a billion years ago, with currents carrying larvae across vast distances and connecting ecosystems now separated by entire continents.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for continents
Noun
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The two mainlands themselves are only 55 miles apart where Alaska's Seward Peninsula and Russia's Chukotka Peninsula sit on opposite sides of the Bering Sea.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Her ink stains cohered into easily recognizable signs—butterflies, fighter jets, bodies of water, landmasses—that were complicated by text printed atop them.—
Daniel R. Quiles,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2026
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When several landmasses collided to form the supercontinent Pangea long before the dinosaurs, Earth’s crust shattered into discrete blocks and folded like a rug pushed against a wall, rising to form mountains spanning from the Appalachians to the Atlas.—
Evan Howell,
Scientific American,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Continents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/continents. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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