subcontinent
noun
sub·con·ti·nent
ˌsəb-ˈkän-tə-nənt 
-ˈkänt-nənt
: a large landmass smaller than a continent
especially
: a major subdivision of a continent
the Indian subcontinent
Examples of subcontinent in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When the South Asian subcontinent was cleaved by the British in 1947, boundaries were drawn that divided the Indus River along India and Pakistan.
—
Simmone Shah, Time, 9 May 2025
Here’s a look at that history: 1947-48 With the end of British colonial rule in 1947, the Indian subcontinent was divided into what became Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 7 May 2025
The roots of the conflict The dispute over Kashmir, which sits on the northern tip of the Indian subcontinent and borders Pakistan to the west, can be traced back to the partition of India in 1947 and the policies of colonial British rule that preceded it.
—Matt Williams, The Conversation, 7 May 2025
The division of the Indian subcontinent stems back to the Islamic expansion into the area beginning in the 12th century, particularly during the conquests of the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great in the late 16th century.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 24 Apr. 2025
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Simmone Shah, Time, 9 May 2025
Here’s a look at that history: 1947-48 With the end of British colonial rule in 1947, the Indian subcontinent was divided into what became Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 7 May 2025
The roots of the conflict The dispute over Kashmir, which sits on the northern tip of the Indian subcontinent and borders Pakistan to the west, can be traced back to the partition of India in 1947 and the policies of colonial British rule that preceded it.
—Matt Williams, The Conversation, 7 May 2025
The division of the Indian subcontinent stems back to the Islamic expansion into the area beginning in the 12th century, particularly during the conquests of the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great in the late 16th century.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subcontinent
Cite this Entry
“Subcontinent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subcontinent. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
subcontinent
noun
sub·con·ti·nent
ˈsəb-ˈkänt-ᵊn-ənt
-ˈkänt-nənt,
-ˌkänt-
: a large area of land smaller than a continent
especially
: a major subdivision of a continent
the Indian subcontinent
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