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
The spending spans continents—from European destinations to exclusive sporting events—and often aligns with the travel and activities of senior soccer officials.
—
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
The names bison and buffalo are used interchangeably in North America, though bison are only distant relatives of buffaloes, which are found on other continents.
—Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
That series sent her through icy Arctic conditions, dense jungles, and scorching deserts — all within one calendar year, across multiple continents.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2026
The fruit’s desirability explains why the plant has spread across continents.
—Andrés Muedano, JSTOR Daily, 25 Mar. 2026
The cereal harvest in 2023 was 50 percent higher than that of 2000 and three times that of the 1960s, outpacing human population growth on all continents.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Their journeys can span continents.
—Zeb Hogan, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
The mystery of his identity has long been part of the value of his art, which for decades and across continents defied authority from public walls and self-shredded on the auction block.
—Laurie Kellman, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Across continents, the costs were hitting home.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
The names bison and buffalo are used interchangeably in North America, though bison are only distant relatives of buffaloes, which are found on other continents.
—Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
That series sent her through icy Arctic conditions, dense jungles, and scorching deserts — all within one calendar year, across multiple continents.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2026
The fruit’s desirability explains why the plant has spread across continents.
—Andrés Muedano, JSTOR Daily, 25 Mar. 2026
The cereal harvest in 2023 was 50 percent higher than that of 2000 and three times that of the 1960s, outpacing human population growth on all continents.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Their journeys can span continents.
—Zeb Hogan, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
The mystery of his identity has long been part of the value of his art, which for decades and across continents defied authority from public walls and self-shredded on the auction block.
—Laurie Kellman, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Across continents, the costs were hitting home.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 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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There was SimEarth in 1990, in which the player tunes a planet’s atmospheric conditions, sculpts its landmasses, plunks down life-forms.—
Eric Boodman,
Vulture,
25 Mar. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Continents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/continents. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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