1
as in prairies
a broad area of level or rolling treeless country
the first settlers in that area lived on the vast plains in lonely log cabins
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in expanses
a wide space or area
the vast plains of snow-covered earth that seemed to stretch endlessly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plains
Audiences tuned in weekly to watch tales of law, justice and survival unfold against a backdrop of rugged plains and rising moral stakes in Dodge City, Kan.
—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
Most travelers visit Africa for wildlife moments such as elephants at a waterhole, lions in the grass and rhinos on open plains.
—
Emese MacZko,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
The better severe weather window for the Denver metro area and northeast plains appears to be Tuesday evening into Tuesday night.
—
Joe Ruch,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
This natural compound mined from salt plains and mountains out West is also known as sodium borate, disodium tetraborate, or sodium tetraborate.
—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
20 June 2026
The coaster’s backstory incorporates the name of the village — named for the storms that sweep across the plains — and a local unbeatable bull that the matadors nicknamed Tormenta for his fierce strength and incredible speed.
—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
19 June 2026
The lyrics chronicle life on the plains and the mining of bauxite, the world’s primary source of aluminum.
—
Cassidy Sollazzo,
Pitchfork,
19 June 2026
Just south of Alice Springs, in the dead centre of Australia, the MacDonnell Ranges rise from the desert plains like creases on a tablecloth.
—
The Week Uk,
TheWeek,
14 June 2026
Prior to European expansion and colonization in the West, two different wolf ecotypes — one at home on the plains and one more suited to mountainous terrain — may have met in Wyoming.
—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
11 June 2026
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
Most travelers visit Africa for wildlife moments such as elephants at a waterhole, lions in the grass and rhinos on open plains.
—
Emese MacZko,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
The better severe weather window for the Denver metro area and northeast plains appears to be Tuesday evening into Tuesday night.
—
Joe Ruch,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
This natural compound mined from salt plains and mountains out West is also known as sodium borate, disodium tetraborate, or sodium tetraborate.
—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
20 June 2026
The coaster’s backstory incorporates the name of the village — named for the storms that sweep across the plains — and a local unbeatable bull that the matadors nicknamed Tormenta for his fierce strength and incredible speed.
—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
19 June 2026
The lyrics chronicle life on the plains and the mining of bauxite, the world’s primary source of aluminum.
—
Cassidy Sollazzo,
Pitchfork,
19 June 2026
Just south of Alice Springs, in the dead centre of Australia, the MacDonnell Ranges rise from the desert plains like creases on a tablecloth.
—
The Week Uk,
TheWeek,
14 June 2026
Prior to European expansion and colonization in the West, two different wolf ecotypes — one at home on the plains and one more suited to mountainous terrain — may have met in Wyoming.
—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plains
Noun
-
Nearly 1,500 butterflies will be released back into prairies in Michigan and Manitoba in July.
-
State biologists also consider prescribed burns, 88,000 of which take place each year, as essential for restoring prairies, forests and marshes with new growth.
Noun
-
For example, the warmer temperatures in the El Niño region are happening in the context of warmer than normal temperatures across vast expanses in the Pacific.
-
Long horizontal rooflines mirror the sea, while moments of compression suddenly give way to expanses of sky and water.
Noun
-
Similar trends have played out in Central Asian steppes and South American plains.
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Longer-running hiking trips take you everywhere from Western Greenland to the sea cliffs of the Faroe Islands, the steppes of Mongolia, or the Tien Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan.
Noun
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Other expansions that creators have leaned into include Fast TV, building hundred-person studios, leading national brand campaigns and beating traditional Hollywood in the box office.
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During his time at the Fed, the US economy experienced one of the strongest peacetime economic expansions in its history.
Noun
-
The medium-sized bats primarily live in arid grasslands, desert scrublands, and dry tropical forests.
-
In the San Luis Valley, ranchers have long spread water over their grasslands when temperatures start to freeze to create a sheet of ice over the vegetation.
Noun
-
This includes savannahs and shrublands.
-
Finally, Iris is a tribute to the native plant and flower of the sub-Saharan savannas that giraffes call home.
Cite this Entry
“Plains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plains. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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