island

noun

ˈī-lənd How to pronounce island (audio)
Definition of islandnext
as in isle
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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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 island Parchment Fine Papers has gorgeous notebooks, stationery, invitations, wrapping paper, and gorgeous gifts, all in a charming boutique in the Sconset area of the island. — Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026 The kitchen features custom hardwood cabinetry with limestone countertops, a butcher-block island, and top-grade appliances, including a Sub-Zero refrigerator. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 7 July 2026 On a 2023 episode of Celebrity IOU, the Property Brothers built one into a kitchen island using marble countertops, dual bowls and a pot filler. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026 Josh Gill, incident commander of the United Cajun Navy, said in a statement posted on social media on Sunday, July 5 that Wells had gone to Horn Island on a boat with friends and was last seen talking to a girl on the island’s north end. — Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for island
Recent Examples of Synonyms for island
  1. isle
  2. atoll
Noun
  • Now, a rare modern masterclass in design takes center stage on the isle’s most coveted strip.
    — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 16 June 2026
  • Rising from the Mediterranean, this little isle, full of dramatic peaks and grottoes, has been tempting travelers for 2,000 years.
    — Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 30 May 2026
Definition of isle
Noun
  • Potential profits have encouraged traffickers to ship massive amounts of illicit drugs to both countries, often across the Pacific Ocean from South America via the Pacific Islands, a loose cluster of thousands of islands and atolls.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 26 June 2026
  • Hawkes was born in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and adopted as a baby by an American family who raised him in Utah, thousands of miles from the coral atolls of his birthplace.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 24 June 2026
Definition of atoll

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island
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Cite this Entry

“Island.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/island. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on island

Nglish: Translation of island for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about island

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