1
as in mainlands
one of the great divisions of land on the globe or the main part of such a division
islanders periodically traveled back to the main for supplies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weights
the main or greater part of something as distinguished from its subordinate parts
the main of the tree is still healthy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mains
Take your pick from belly-warming soups and stews, cozy casseroles, hearty meat mains, rich pastas, and more.
—
Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026
Non-meat mains are… fine… but this joint glorifies the carnivorous lifestyle.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2025
For a dinner with five people at an izakaya, including sushi, mains and drinks, the total came to about $100.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
Expect hearty mains, craft beers brewed on site, and a lively, come-as-you-are outdoor biergarten.
—Taryn Shorr-McKee, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2025
This industrial-chic bistro from James Beard Award semifinalist chef Dallas McGarity is known for its New American small plates, mains and imaginative craft cocktails.
—Gege Reed, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Dec. 2025
From savory starters, like party-ready dips and one-bite delights, to crowd-friendly mains, like pot roasts and extra-special pasta dishes, these New Year’s recipes are primed to send out the old and usher in the new.
—Kelly Vaughan, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Dec. 2025
Starters, $8-$15; mains, $14-$52.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Last year’s alternate jerseys wouldn’t get any complaints from me if the Caps turned them into their mains.
—The Athletic Nhl Staff, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026
Non-meat mains are… fine… but this joint glorifies the carnivorous lifestyle.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2025
For a dinner with five people at an izakaya, including sushi, mains and drinks, the total came to about $100.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
Expect hearty mains, craft beers brewed on site, and a lively, come-as-you-are outdoor biergarten.
—Taryn Shorr-McKee, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2025
This industrial-chic bistro from James Beard Award semifinalist chef Dallas McGarity is known for its New American small plates, mains and imaginative craft cocktails.
—Gege Reed, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Dec. 2025
From savory starters, like party-ready dips and one-bite delights, to crowd-friendly mains, like pot roasts and extra-special pasta dishes, these New Year’s recipes are primed to send out the old and usher in the new.
—Kelly Vaughan, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Dec. 2025
Starters, $8-$15; mains, $14-$52.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Last year’s alternate jerseys wouldn’t get any complaints from me if the Caps turned them into their mains.
—The Athletic Nhl Staff, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mains
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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Roser also recommends wearing these vests for moves where having weights in your hands is challenging, such as side lunges, side squats, and sumo squats.—
Jessie Quinn,
Flow Space,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Honda will position batteries on the platform around the center of vehicles instead of at the rear, and adjust load-bearing for different vehicle weights using fewer unique parts.—
Daniel Leussink,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
This aesthetic — symbolizing order, leisure and status — spread across continents and centuries, shaping how residential outdoor spaces are designed and maintained today.—
Hummingbird,
New York Daily News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Its supply chain spans continents — chemical precursors from China, synthesized in Mexico, and transported across the southern border in quantities small enough to evade traditional enforcement — before spreading into communities far from any border.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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This indicated that these sediment cores could indeed identify areas where human remains were located at a site, Meyer-Kaiser said.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Stars form when massive clouds of frigid molecular gas begin to fragment and collapse, producing dense cores where stars begin to coalesce.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In Iranian Muslim culture, dead bodies are typically washed and then covered in white cotton fabric before burial.—
Billy Stockwell,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
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Separate mobile-camera footage from Fardis, a city about 50 kilometers (31 miles) west of Tehran, showed at least seven bodies covered in blood inside a building.—
Arsalan Shahla,
Fortune,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The semi-annual sale includes so many elegant staples, such as mock-neck cardigans, jackets with unique embellishments, and comfortable pants that look super polished — all starting at just $20.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
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Keep shopping Amazon’s massive Gap selection, which spans even more denim styles, as well as other soon-to-be staples.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But in years past, the commission’s leaders have often been at odds with each other, or with police chiefs, including Anne Kirkpatrick and Floyd Mitchell, who resigned last fall.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
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While Maduro served as the symbolic and diplomatic face of Chavismo, day-to-day authority was long dispersed among loyal enforcers, negotiators and security chiefs whose influence often rivaled — and at times surpassed — that of the president himself.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Skin care leads the conversation, alongside a growing focus on niche fragrances, refined essences and wellness treatments.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
22 Dec. 2025
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And this year’s lineup is loaded with glow-boosting icons—from milky toners and hydrating essences to overnight masks that make your skin feel like a cloud.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
2 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mains. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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