plains

noun

Definition of plainsnext
plural of plain
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

Relevance
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

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 plains Tycho Crater is visible in the lower region of the lunar disk close to the shadow, while bright ejecta rays of reflective material brighten the darker lunar seas, where lava solidified to form basaltic plains billions of years ago. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Away from both sides of the road stretched rocky plains, dry and gray as parchment. — Leslie E. Tassell, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2026 The good news is for areas near Denver and the northeastern plains. — Dave Aguilera, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026 That’s what pulled me to the plains of north-central Spain last week. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026 Harry and Meghan’s children even chose the color of their elephants’ collars, which will help the organization track them across the plains of northern Botswana. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 17 Aug. 2026 Elk Island National Park, 30 minutes east of the city, is another important location for the repopulation of plains bison in the Prairies. — Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 14 Aug. 2026 Through parts of the rainy season, Kio couldn’t be followed by the crew as the plains in the Maasai Mara became impassable. — Addie Morfoot, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026 Explore the landscape of rolling plains, steep canyons, and family dynasties with a stake in the land that runs deep. — Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plains
  1. prairies
  2. expanses
  3. steppes
  4. expansions
  5. grasslands
  6. savannas
Noun
  • Native to the shortgrass prairies of the Great Plains, it’s suited to poor, gravelly soils.
    — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The route passes through diverse landscapes, including forests, prairies, lakes, and the Rocky Mountains, with stops in cities like Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, and Jasper.
    — Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of prairies
Noun
  • The umbral shadow will first appear as a small semicircle of shadow close to the dark expanses of Oceanus Procellarum (the Ocean of Storms) and Mare Humorum on the moon's southwestern edge, before swiftly spreading to swallow the nearby moonscape.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Security Meets Style Expect larger expanses of glass, slimmer frames, and design that blurs the line between indoors and out.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of expanses
Noun
  • Historical legacy is not destiny, and Russia’s excesses cannot be blamed solely on its ties to the political culture of the steppes.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The unification of the Eurasian steppes under Genghis Khan and his successors—Ögödei, Möngke, and Kublai Khan—brought many of these trade routes under a single political authority for the first time.
    — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of steppes
Noun
  • Twelve location expansions followed, awarded on reputation without a competitive bid.
    — William Jones, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Historically, debt as a share of the economy tended to rise during recessions and then stabilize during economic expansions.
    — Scott Horsley, NPR, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of expansions
Noun
  • The urban-wildland interface — where human development intermingles with wild places such as scrublands, grasslands and forests — is the fastest-growing land-use type in the United States.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Swim, canoe, geocache, and bird-watch among Bastrop State Park’s mosaic of pines, oaks, shrubs, and grasslands, which are punctuated by a carpet of bluebonnets each spring.
    — Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of grasslands
Noun
  • The center of the activities was a grove, within a ring of trees, considered to be one of the oldest oak savannas in the state.
    — Gregory Harutunian, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The new property is nestled inside a 45,000-acre private conservancy with open savannahs and waterholes nearby.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 8 July 2026
Definition of savannas

Browse Nearby Words

plainness
plains
plainspoken
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Plains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plains. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of kith

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All