as in anchors
something or someone to which one looks for support
Mom has been our mainstay in this crisis
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 mainstays
Sexton also makes a guest appearance on Fault Lines, along with Texas mainstays Jon Randall and Jack Ingram.
—
Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 4 May 2026
In general, though, Kraus’s books have been mainstays on horror shelves for years.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
Agriculture is still one of Florida’s economic mainstays with more than 44,000 farms covering nearly 10 million acres.
—The Virginian Pilot and Daily Press Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 May 2026
The album, which is comprised almost wholly of covers spanning yacht rock mainstays, also includes one original Urban song to round the package out.
—Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
So even though the Animated and Reality Competition Program categories have their mainstays, no one show looms over all the others to where the winner is obvious each time.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 2026
The districts currently held by Democratic mainstays Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Lois Frankel will both now favor Republican candidates instead.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
When a reporter rattled off a few positions that are typically mainstays on special teams, Morgan agreed.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Online organic grocer Thrive Market even has a healthy swaps feature in its app that lets users scan the barcodes of mainstays to find more purportedly virtuous brands.
—Sarah Todd, STAT, 22 Apr. 2026
Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 4 May 2026
In general, though, Kraus’s books have been mainstays on horror shelves for years.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
Agriculture is still one of Florida’s economic mainstays with more than 44,000 farms covering nearly 10 million acres.
—The Virginian Pilot and Daily Press Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 May 2026
The album, which is comprised almost wholly of covers spanning yacht rock mainstays, also includes one original Urban song to round the package out.
—Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
So even though the Animated and Reality Competition Program categories have their mainstays, no one show looms over all the others to where the winner is obvious each time.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 2026
The districts currently held by Democratic mainstays Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Lois Frankel will both now favor Republican candidates instead.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
When a reporter rattled off a few positions that are typically mainstays on special teams, Morgan agreed.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Online organic grocer Thrive Market even has a healthy swaps feature in its app that lets users scan the barcodes of mainstays to find more purportedly virtuous brands.
—Sarah Todd, STAT, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mainstays
Noun
-
Across its news programs on television, digital and streaming, the award-winning team of anchors and correspondents delivers the latest breaking news, on-the-ground reporting and in-depth analysis on the most important issues impacting Latinos.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
-
Once the most powerful jobs in television, evening anchors like Tony Dokoupil now occupy a more symbolic perch.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
As songwriters, the Ottavianos usually only needed a metaphor, a single beautiful image, or a fun double entendre to serve as narrative backbones.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
26 Apr. 2026
-
There's also a perception that squishy invertebrates — creatures without backbones — weren't formidable enough to join the ranks of top predators.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At last month’s Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim — one of the world’s largest food trade shows — old standbys finding fresh roles and unexpected places to shine was the buzz.—
David Dickstein,
Oc Register,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Spring’s touring theater productions are a mix of old standbys and new shows.—
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The refined contemporary interiors are punctuated throughout with terrazzo floors, warm wood paneling, and rough-hewn stone pillars.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
4 May 2026
-
That’s when tectonic plates first pushed them out of the sea, but the shaping of the pillars via coastal erosion only occurred over the last few thousand years.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mainstays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mainstays. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
