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
Plants grow naturally in a wide range of habitats, from moist coastal plains, wetlands, and stream banks to drier sand dunes, hillsides, and upland forests.
—
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 Jan. 2026
Its silvery surface is scarred by dark regions known as lunar maria, where molten lava once flooded enormous impact basins before hardening to create enormous basaltic plains.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 28 Jan. 2026
During winter, the polar jet stream transports cold, Arctic air southward across the plains of Canada and the United States, then eastward toward the Atlantic Ocean where warm air from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic tries to move northward.
—ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026
Passengers can expect long desert stretches across Al Dhafra, where flat sand plains open out towards the western coastline, followed by low-lying salt flats and industrial zones near Ruwais.
—Keith J Fernandez, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Jan. 2026
Wind chills on the plains could go as low as 22 degrees below zero.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2026
The major storm will bring winter weather stretching from the southern plains through the Southeast before reaching New England by Sunday.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
This mountain range adds sharp granite spires to the Patagonian landscape, rising abruptly from the glaciers, lakes, and open plains surrounding it.
—Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The storm could spread a messy mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain over a long corridor from the southern plains into the Southeast and up through parts of the Northeast.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 Jan. 2026
Its silvery surface is scarred by dark regions known as lunar maria, where molten lava once flooded enormous impact basins before hardening to create enormous basaltic plains.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 28 Jan. 2026
During winter, the polar jet stream transports cold, Arctic air southward across the plains of Canada and the United States, then eastward toward the Atlantic Ocean where warm air from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic tries to move northward.
—ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026
Passengers can expect long desert stretches across Al Dhafra, where flat sand plains open out towards the western coastline, followed by low-lying salt flats and industrial zones near Ruwais.
—Keith J Fernandez, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Jan. 2026
Wind chills on the plains could go as low as 22 degrees below zero.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2026
The major storm will bring winter weather stretching from the southern plains through the Southeast before reaching New England by Sunday.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
This mountain range adds sharp granite spires to the Patagonian landscape, rising abruptly from the glaciers, lakes, and open plains surrounding it.
—Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The storm could spread a messy mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain over a long corridor from the southern plains into the Southeast and up through parts of the Northeast.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plains
Noun
-
Wetlands in the area are also home to Everglades snail kites, which hunt for apple snails in freshwater marshes, and other rare species that once inhabited vast wet prairies drained for highways and neighborhoods.—
Jenny Staletovich,
Miami Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
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There were no forests or prairies—land was largely dominated by slimy microbial mats.—
Taylor Mitchell Brown,
Scientific American,
25 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Large expanses of seats were unused during the third-bottom home side’s 2-1 defeat to Forest, who are in 17th place, on Tuesday.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Trudging across six lanes of highway, and expanses of parking lot, to reach Soldier Field never had many fans, but there is zero romance in this new spot.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Unlike Argentina’s open steppes, Chilean Patagonia hugs the Pacific coast and is carved by glacial valleys covered in with dense vegetation.—
Eric Sheets,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Dec. 2025
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The gene expression in the muscle tissue suggested a predominance of slow-twitch muscle fibers indicating the mammoth's muscles were built for stamina, ideal for long, steady travel across the cold, expansive steppes.—
Jay Kakade
December 03,
New Atlas,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
While organisers have yet to confirm whether Hellbound will become an annual fixture, the speed of its initial sell-out suggests the appetite exists for further expansions.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
27 Jan. 2026
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Those expansions and contractions allow tiny amounts of oxygen into the bottle, which leads to oxidation and prematurely aged flavors.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The rolling grasslands and rocky beaches of Vandenberg Space Force Base, home to more than a dozen at-risk species, easily could pass for a peaceful nature preserve — but that’s an illusion.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
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In summer, look for grizzlies wandering among the grasslands of the park’s Hayden Valley.—
Laura Kiniry,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The experience there usually involves wide-open savannas and convoys of jeeps lined up to take in the wildebeest and zebras passing through in the millions during the Great Migration.—
Nicholas DeRenzo,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Jan. 2026
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Serval cats roam savannahs and wetlands.—
Kaicey Baylor,
CBS News,
10 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plains. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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