as in isles
a fairly small area of land completely surrounded by water
the island of Hawaii is the largest in the Hawaiian archipelago
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Recent Examples of islands
Private museum tours, sandal-making workshops, and boat trips to the nearby islands of Aegina and Kea (where another One&Only opens in 2024) can be arranged.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
At the core of the detector is the double quantum dot, made up of two tiny semiconductor islands.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
Tiger Bay State Forest At more than 28,000 acres, this massive state forest is home to trails, swamps, pine islands, and numerous species of birds and wildlife, like Florida black bears and bald eagles.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
The Portuguese had been experimenting with colonial plantations for more than a century and already had settlements on Cape Verde and the Canary and Madeira islands.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
On other islands in the Aegean, streets turned into small rivers while stormy seas compounded the heavy rains on coastal areas.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
While parts of Maui are still rebuilding after the 2023 wildfires, the state was pummeled by a pair of back-to-back storms last month, causing widespread damage across the islands, including parts of Maui, O’ahu, Molokaʻi, and the Big Island.
—Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2026
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer has made millions of dollars investing in offshore private equity funds connected to islands known for lax tax policies, according to tax returns posted Thursday.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Schuster said the full might of these units may be needed to take control of Iran’s key defensive islands.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
At the core of the detector is the double quantum dot, made up of two tiny semiconductor islands.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
Tiger Bay State Forest At more than 28,000 acres, this massive state forest is home to trails, swamps, pine islands, and numerous species of birds and wildlife, like Florida black bears and bald eagles.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
The Portuguese had been experimenting with colonial plantations for more than a century and already had settlements on Cape Verde and the Canary and Madeira islands.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
On other islands in the Aegean, streets turned into small rivers while stormy seas compounded the heavy rains on coastal areas.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
While parts of Maui are still rebuilding after the 2023 wildfires, the state was pummeled by a pair of back-to-back storms last month, causing widespread damage across the islands, including parts of Maui, O’ahu, Molokaʻi, and the Big Island.
—Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2026
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer has made millions of dollars investing in offshore private equity funds connected to islands known for lax tax policies, according to tax returns posted Thursday.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Schuster said the full might of these units may be needed to take control of Iran’s key defensive islands.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for islands
Noun
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Hassan Hakmoun and Adam Rudolph’s score circumnavigates the Mediterranean — a sea which touches Duato’s native Spain, North Africa, the Greek isles, Turkey, Syria, Israel and Gaza.—
Lauren Warnecke,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
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With over 1,000 miles of coastline, vibrant cities, funky small towns, lush preserves, and even tropical isles that can compete with some of the best islands in the Caribbean, Florida invites you to explore and decide where your life could unfold.—
Carrie Honaker,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Pritzker Prize–winning architect Tadao Ando designed the Naoshima New Museum of Art, which opened last May, overlooking the remote atolls of the Seto Inland Sea.—
Kathryn O’Shea-Evans,
Robb Report,
7 Mar. 2026
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The atolls and rocks that made up the Chagos Archipelago offered more meager economic possibilities.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Toward Smarter Cell Therapies That is where the cyborg islets from Liu and Alvarez could make a difference.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
4 Mar. 2026
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Each lodging also comes with its own powerboat, perfect for exploring nearby islets and hopping over to the marinas at nearby cays.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Islands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/islands. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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