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
Aside from the Great Lakes, lake-effect snow is a common occurance on the eastern shore of the Hudson Bay in Canada, and the west coasts of the Japanese islands Honshu and Hokkaido, according to Michigan Sea Grant.
—
Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 10 Nov. 2025
What To Know Russia's Foreign Ministry lodged a strong protest with Japan's embassy on October 31 over security concerns regarding the country's Far Eastern borders, where both nations claim ownership of four islands between the Kamchatka Peninsula and Hokkaido.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
One of the worst such heat islands is Liberty City.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
Set in British Columbia and tied for the top national park in Canada, Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is coastal paradise made up of more than 30 islands and islets complete with coves, beaches, and trails, according to the report from tour operator Journeyscape.
—Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2025
With its proximity to the Caribbean Sea, the area is a popular transit hub for cocaine making its way from Colombia to Trinidad and other Caribbean islands before heading to Europe.
—NPR, 8 Nov. 2025
Solanum pennellii has South American origins and likely made its way over to the Galápagos Islands through birds carrying the plant’s seeds 1 million or 2 million years ago, before the younger islands formed as a result of volcanic activity, according to Jozwiak.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 10 Nov. 2025
What To Know Russia's Foreign Ministry lodged a strong protest with Japan's embassy on October 31 over security concerns regarding the country's Far Eastern borders, where both nations claim ownership of four islands between the Kamchatka Peninsula and Hokkaido.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
One of the worst such heat islands is Liberty City.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
Set in British Columbia and tied for the top national park in Canada, Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is coastal paradise made up of more than 30 islands and islets complete with coves, beaches, and trails, according to the report from tour operator Journeyscape.
—Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2025
With its proximity to the Caribbean Sea, the area is a popular transit hub for cocaine making its way from Colombia to Trinidad and other Caribbean islands before heading to Europe.
—NPR, 8 Nov. 2025
Solanum pennellii has South American origins and likely made its way over to the Galápagos Islands through birds carrying the plant’s seeds 1 million or 2 million years ago, before the younger islands formed as a result of volcanic activity, according to Jozwiak.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 30 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 radiation effects have been ruinous, according to US government reports cited by the Atomic Heritage Foundation, which said the testing was responsible for 55% of cancers on some of the islands’ northern atolls.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
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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
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 16 Nov. 2025.
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