as in isles
a fairly small area of land completely surrounded by water
the island of Hawaii is the largest in the Hawaiian archipelago
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Recent Examples of islands
Naoshima, one of Japan’s art islands and a cultural destination in its own right, also has several nice places to cool off; try Gotanji Bathing Beach, which is on the island’s shuttle-bus route.
—
Kristin Braswell, AFAR Media, 7 Oct. 2025
The islands also have their own language, Dhivehi, though most people also speak English.
—Taylor McIntyre, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
Docked for the day, guests can stroll white-sand beaches, swim with sea life, book excursions, and explore private islands with waterparks and activities.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
Forecasters said a tropical depression is likely to form by the end of next week near the far eastern Caribbean islands, also known as the Antilles.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
The islands consist of two main islands, Basse-Terre and Grand-Terre (which resemble a butterfly from above), along with a handful of outlying islands.
—Essence, 3 Oct. 2025
The show tests a group of castaways as they are stranded on the islands of Fiji.
—Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 2 Oct. 2025
After checking a few mid-river islands and not finding him, Gaines thought Waylon had drowned.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 1 Oct. 2025
The homes, once held on stilts, were located in a community on the string of islands that make up the Outer Banks.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
Kristin Braswell, AFAR Media, 7 Oct. 2025
The islands also have their own language, Dhivehi, though most people also speak English.
—Taylor McIntyre, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
Docked for the day, guests can stroll white-sand beaches, swim with sea life, book excursions, and explore private islands with waterparks and activities.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
Forecasters said a tropical depression is likely to form by the end of next week near the far eastern Caribbean islands, also known as the Antilles.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
The islands consist of two main islands, Basse-Terre and Grand-Terre (which resemble a butterfly from above), along with a handful of outlying islands.
—Essence, 3 Oct. 2025
The show tests a group of castaways as they are stranded on the islands of Fiji.
—Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 2 Oct. 2025
After checking a few mid-river islands and not finding him, Gaines thought Waylon had drowned.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 1 Oct. 2025
The homes, once held on stilts, were located in a community on the string of islands that make up the Outer Banks.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for islands
Noun
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Also, Bond … James Bond will be male, as written by creator Ian Fleming, and importantly, will be an actor who hails from the British isles.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
24 Sep. 2025
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These alluring Atlantic Ocean isles offer extraordinary sightings of marine life.—
Laura Manske,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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The resort’s remoteness meant that mainland safaris to baobab forests and lemur sanctuaries required a (pricy) helicopter hop, but there was enough to keep us busy on Nosy Ankao and its neighboring islets.—
Chris Schalkx,
Vogue,
30 Sep. 2025
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Cinnamon, for instance, may help improve the function of islets—parts of the pancreas that produce insulin and other hormones that regulate blood sugar.—
Johna Burdeos,
Health,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Islands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/islands. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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