islands

plural of island
as in isles
a fairly small area of land completely surrounded by water the island of Hawaii is the largest in the Hawaiian archipelago

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 islands The Russian region of Sakhalin includes Sakhalin Island and the four southernmost islands of the Kuril chain, which Moscow controls and Tokyo claims. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 The first Pacific Islander to visit Britain, Mai had joined Captain James Cook’s second expedition during its stop in the Society Islands, which include the islands of Tahiti and Raiatea and today are a part of French Polynesia. — Saar Shahar, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026 Along the way are mountain towns, desert oases, Mediterranean islands and historic cities where eclipse chasers can experience anything from a few minutes to more than six minutes of totality. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 Oct. 2026 Officials were also monitoring conditions on islands including Toque, where damage to homes had been reported, and Isla Caña, where changes in sea level were being observed. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026 Its black-sand coves, lava-rock shores, coral-rubble beaches, and stretches of golden sand deserve their fame, but the islands have much more to explore inland. — Kevin Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 9 Oct. 2026 Some locals are frustrated as private islands and historic buildings are bought up, squeezing residents out. — Mary Holland, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2026 Some islands had exactly one possible landing point, which the Japanese had spent years preparing to defend. — Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026 One of the kitchen islands is made of a door from the entryway and an old communion table. — Jennifer Liu valentina Duarte, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for islands
Noun
  • Consider the Greek isles off-season or an accessible English quietcation.
    — Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Their differences come to a head when Swiftie Kira plans to celebrate her birthday on Friday the 13th with a trip to the 13 isles of the Grenadines with her 13 best girlfriends and expects Ben to be present.
    — Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Roughly a quarter of all tropical seabirds in the world also rely on atolls for nesting.
    — Lauren Sommer, NPR, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Seychelles The Seychelles, the smallest country in Africa, is considered a premier fly-fishing destination for its remote outer atolls.
    — Betsy Donley, Travel + Leisure, 10 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Stockholm sits at the western edge of an archipelago containing more than 30,000 islands and islets.
    — David Nikel, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • State media reports on Sunday said several tourism companies suspended their speedboat services between the islets after the deadly capsize.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Islands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/islands. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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