as in anchors
something or someone to which one looks for support
Mom has been our mainstay in this crisis
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of mainstays
And for the first time, top Wall Street banks weren’t just attracting WASP or old-line German Jewish men with family ties to banking, the historic mainstays of the finance world.
—
Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
As someone who started wearing makeup in high school to hide my dark under-eye circles and unyielding teenage acne, color correctors and concealers have long been mainstays in my makeup bag.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Recruiting mainstays like Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Miami, among others, are humming right along with their 2027 classes, but one logo may have stuck out to you.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Meanwhile, mainstays including Prada, Paul Smith, Etro, and Dolce & Gabbana will continue to anchor the city’s luxury menswear offering.
—Maliha Shoaib, Vogue, 14 May 2026
Names including underscores, Smerz, Sophia Stel, Danny L Harle, Nick León, Machine Girl, Model/Actriz, Ecco2k, Nation of Language, This Is Lorelei and Mannequin Pussy continue the festival’s tradition of balancing major headliners with more experimental acts and club culture mainstays.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 11 May 2026
Deviled eggs and potato salad are two undeniable Southern mainstays.
—Brennan Long, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
The Nashville mainstays recorded Punching the Clown with Ryan Olson on production and Justin Vernon moonlighting on the banjo throughout.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 6 May 2026
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
Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
As someone who started wearing makeup in high school to hide my dark under-eye circles and unyielding teenage acne, color correctors and concealers have long been mainstays in my makeup bag.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Recruiting mainstays like Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Miami, among others, are humming right along with their 2027 classes, but one logo may have stuck out to you.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Meanwhile, mainstays including Prada, Paul Smith, Etro, and Dolce & Gabbana will continue to anchor the city’s luxury menswear offering.
—Maliha Shoaib, Vogue, 14 May 2026
Names including underscores, Smerz, Sophia Stel, Danny L Harle, Nick León, Machine Girl, Model/Actriz, Ecco2k, Nation of Language, This Is Lorelei and Mannequin Pussy continue the festival’s tradition of balancing major headliners with more experimental acts and club culture mainstays.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 11 May 2026
Deviled eggs and potato salad are two undeniable Southern mainstays.
—Brennan Long, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
The Nashville mainstays recorded Punching the Clown with Ryan Olson on production and Justin Vernon moonlighting on the banjo throughout.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 6 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mainstays
Noun
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For the Kansas test, researchers cut around 40% of the house’s anchors to the ground and hit it again, first with 110 mph, and finally 130 mph.—
Alexandra Phelps,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
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Alumnae have become actors, anchors, authors and more.—
Sharon Chin,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Noun
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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
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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
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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
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Spring’s touring theater productions are a mix of old standbys and new shows.—
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Joining me to discuss rising production costs, shifts in viewing preferences, and the demise of one of the pillars of late night television is USA TODAY TV Critic Kelly Lawler.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
19 May 2026
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The library is a one-story brick building with two white pillars up front sticking out like tusks, smooth and thin.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mainstays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mainstays. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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