equator

noun

Definition of equatornext
as in diameter

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of equator The dramatic new view, released by the European Space Agency (ESA) on May 13, spotlights Shalbatana Vallis, a sprawling Martian channel system near the planet's equator that stretches roughly 800 miles (1,300 kilometers, or about the length of Italy. — Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 15 May 2026 But the area is significantly more challenging to navigate than those near the moon’s equator, where the Apollo astronauts touched down. — Denise Chow, NBC news, 11 Apr. 2026 At some point during that time, the capsule will carry them farther from the Earth than any human being has traveled — roughly 253,000 miles away, the equivalent of 10 trips around Earth at its equator. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026 While Apollo astronauts flew behind the moon near its equator, those missions were timed to ensure daylight at the landing sites facing Earth and the far side was in darkness. — William Harwood, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for equator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for equator
  1. diameter
  2. radius
  3. periphery
  4. perimeter
Noun
  • Tropical Hibiscus Tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), as the name suggests, is native to tropical climates in Asia and produces dramatic, vibrant flowers that can grow up to 6 inches in diameter with protruding stamens.
    — Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The leaves and trunks of my magnolia are covered with gray to brown spots up to an inch or more in diameter?
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of diameter
Noun
  • The results of those tests were then compared to an 11th school campus, which was located outside of the radius and used as a reference site.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Now, the Halloween retailer looks to place its stores in locations with more than 35,000 people within a 3- to 5-mile radius.
    — Blaise Mesa, jsonline.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of radius
Noun
  • China remains deeply cautious about using its military beyond its immediate periphery, and Russia’s footprint in the Middle East has only shrunk since the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
    — Michael Fuchs, Foreign Affairs, 6 Aug. 2026
  • This channel, this protein, seems to be very specific to pain neurons in the periphery.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of periphery
Noun
  • The department shared photos and images showing the big cat on a sidewalk under the shade of a tree while deputies set up a perimeter.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
  • After choosing your traps from a local home improvement store, place them around your yard’s perimeter, especially near the nests.
    — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of perimeter

Browse Nearby Words

equation
equator
equatorial
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Cite this Entry

“Equator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/equator. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on equator

Nglish: Translation of equator for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about equator

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