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
This output can supply remote islands, offshore platforms or coastal energy networks.
—
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
The other bear species in Japan is the , which only resides on Japan's northernmost islands and is believed to be a subspecies of the Ussuri brown bear, per Bear Conservation.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
The southernmost prefecture of Japan, Okinawa is made up of about 160 islands—roughly 40 of them are inhabited—surrounded by clear, turquoise waters.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025
Becoming immersed in the islands’ rhythm together reminds you why these women matter.
—Essence, 18 Oct. 2025
An upcoming launch into near-Earth orbit will test the use of such visual cues — including islands and archipelagos — as navigational beacons.
—Robin Roenker, USA Today, 17 Oct. 2025
Further, volcanic stones were uncovered, believed to have been transported over long distances, likely from Greek islands.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
This year, China has deployed multiple warships—including two aircraft carriers—far from its coastline to demonstrate its fast-growing naval power, conducting operations such as a circumnavigation of Australia and a voyage around most of Japan's islands.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The kiwi, an adorable flightless bird from New Zealand, is disappearing, largely because of invasive species brought to the country’s islands by humans.
—NPR, 13 Oct. 2025
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
The other bear species in Japan is the , which only resides on Japan's northernmost islands and is believed to be a subspecies of the Ussuri brown bear, per Bear Conservation.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
The southernmost prefecture of Japan, Okinawa is made up of about 160 islands—roughly 40 of them are inhabited—surrounded by clear, turquoise waters.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025
Becoming immersed in the islands’ rhythm together reminds you why these women matter.
—Essence, 18 Oct. 2025
An upcoming launch into near-Earth orbit will test the use of such visual cues — including islands and archipelagos — as navigational beacons.
—Robin Roenker, USA Today, 17 Oct. 2025
Further, volcanic stones were uncovered, believed to have been transported over long distances, likely from Greek islands.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
This year, China has deployed multiple warships—including two aircraft carriers—far from its coastline to demonstrate its fast-growing naval power, conducting operations such as a circumnavigation of Australia and a voyage around most of Japan's islands.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The kiwi, an adorable flightless bird from New Zealand, is disappearing, largely because of invasive species brought to the country’s islands by humans.
—NPR, 13 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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Sana Biotechnology recently demonstrated the gene-editing approach by transplanting donor islets of beta cells into a patient after genetically modifying the cells to evade the immune system.—
Tara Haelle,
Scientific American,
14 Oct. 2025
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The uninhabited islets became a focal point of tensions between China and Japan after Tokyo nationalized the chain in 2012.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Islands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/islands. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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