highlands

noun

Definition of highlandsnext
plural of highland
as in hills
an area of high ground there are permanent glaciers in the cool, humid highlands of the Pacific Northwest

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 highlands Beyond the conventional routes lie some of the world’s most striking volcanic highlands, black-sand beaches, and untamed wilderness—landscapes that reward those willing to venture farther afield. — Gwen Nicol, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2026 My walk took me over the peaks and ridges of the Eastern highlands, on a narrow footpath that rose and fell thousands of feet in the course of an average day. — Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026 Ivan was married, with two children, and worked as the curator of a small museum that collected artifacts from the eastern highlands, like masks and shields. — Rachel Aviv, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 Popular expat retirement venues include the capital, Panama City; Boquete, a town in the highlands with a somewhat cooler climate; Coronado on the Pacific Coast; and the inland city of David. — William P. Barrett, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 But critics point out a growing gap in living standards between coastal areas and communities in the Andean highlands. — Franklin Briceño, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026 At the time of her last detection, Cinderella is in Arkansas, having likely traveled from the Great Lakes to the Mexican highlands, and then halfway back. — Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026 In the highlands of Scotland, as many as 500 firefighters have been dealing with a large blaze within ‌Cairngorms National Park since July 15. — Reuters, NBC news, 26 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for highlands
  1. hills
  2. mounds
  3. mountains
  4. uplands
Noun
  • The province of Jijel, 200 kilometers (125 miles) east of Algiers, renowned for its fine sandy beaches, turquoise waters and hills of olive trees and fruit trees and cedars, has suffered the greatest damage.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In spite of the growing number of houses springing up all around the BLM land north of Eagle, residents in the area continue to hear gunfire coming from the hills on a daily basis.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of hills
Noun
  • And in a sense, chocolate may have helped build the Mississippian mounds.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Hike or bike trails in Casper Bluff Land and Water Reserve, where Native American mounds dot a landscape overlooking the Mississippi River.
    — Taryn Shorr-Mckee, Midwest Living, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of mounds
Noun
  • China Daily Nonetheless, for a nation that's made history building easy ways to get up and down mountains, this store feels almost old-fashioned.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Great Smoky Mountains National Park is known for its ancient mountains, diverse plant and animal life and preservation of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, according to the NPS website.
    — David Chiu, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of mountains
Noun
  • Many hundreds of years ago, Hawaiians planted breadfruit, and the trees captured the spring water that flowed from the uplands, keeping the soil moist.
    — Julie Orringer, Travel + Leisure, 9 June 2026
  • This drought tolerant vine grows naturally on dry, sandy soils in pine forest openings and coastal uplands.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 16 May 2026
Definition of uplands

Browse Nearby Words

highland
highlands
high-level
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Highlands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/highlands. Accessed 4 Sep. 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 apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

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

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
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
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All