as in anchors
something or someone to which one looks for support
Mom has been our mainstay in this crisis
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Recent Examples of mainstays
Villa were missing John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara, two mainstays of their XI, yet found a way to accommodate their absences.
—
Chris Waugh, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
The interviewees didn’t mention trans rights, Jeffrey Epstein, or other issues that were mainstays of cable news.
—Charles Duhigg, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Many of the company’s top women’s stars, ranging from Charlotte Flair to Ripley to Morgan, found themselves as mainstays in a tag team division that was once dead in the water.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
They’ll be joined by Brooklyn’s DIIV, indie rock duo Momma, Texas shoegaze outfit Glare, Brazilian psych favorites Boogarins and Austin mainstays Holy Wave, among others.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 21 Jan. 2026
So when the two former Heat mainstays saw Spoelstra on Thursday night call out Kel’el Ware over the second-year center’s uneven play, there was a nod to their familiarity with the approach.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2026
Of course, these winter mainstays often call for a Dutch oven to create an ideal simmer or sear.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
The top of the Mets lineup will look very different next season with the additions of Bichette and Semien, along with mainstays Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil all having departed in free agency or via trade.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 16 Jan. 2026
However, unlike its collegiate counterparts, the poet aesthetic embraces all the preppy mainstays with an elevated, literary twist.
—India Roby, InStyle, 16 Jan. 2026
Chris Waugh, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
The interviewees didn’t mention trans rights, Jeffrey Epstein, or other issues that were mainstays of cable news.
—Charles Duhigg, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Many of the company’s top women’s stars, ranging from Charlotte Flair to Ripley to Morgan, found themselves as mainstays in a tag team division that was once dead in the water.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
They’ll be joined by Brooklyn’s DIIV, indie rock duo Momma, Texas shoegaze outfit Glare, Brazilian psych favorites Boogarins and Austin mainstays Holy Wave, among others.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 21 Jan. 2026
So when the two former Heat mainstays saw Spoelstra on Thursday night call out Kel’el Ware over the second-year center’s uneven play, there was a nod to their familiarity with the approach.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2026
Of course, these winter mainstays often call for a Dutch oven to create an ideal simmer or sear.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
The top of the Mets lineup will look very different next season with the additions of Bichette and Semien, along with mainstays Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil all having departed in free agency or via trade.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 16 Jan. 2026
However, unlike its collegiate counterparts, the poet aesthetic embraces all the preppy mainstays with an elevated, literary twist.
—India Roby, InStyle, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mainstays
Noun
-
John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, the co-anchors of evening news, left the company in December.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2026
-
End the struggle to remove drywall anchors with this helpful (and unexpected) hack.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Many are Latin American or African immigrants working in the agricultural, tourism or service sectors, backbones of Spain’s booming economy.—
Renata Brito,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
-
In the economy of tomorrow, community colleges and vocational-technical schools—optimized for true lifelong learning with apprenticeship and mentorship programs—will likely be the backbones of public and private education alike.—
Eric Holcomb,
Time,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This striking crimson suit is one of the princess’s standbys for significant events.—
Erin Vanderhoof,
Vanity Fair,
16 Jan. 2026
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To make the look seasonally apropos, put thought into color, pattern, and material; designs that incorporate warm-weather standbys like pastels, florals, and chiffon are always good ideas.—
Alison Syrett Cleary,
Glamour,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
As of last year, more than 140 countries had, in theory, agreed to the pillars.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Rich magenta hues fill the sky as distinct pillars also start to take form.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mainstays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mainstays. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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