ISLANDS Synonyms: 10 Similar and Opposite Words

islands

noun

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

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 islands Exploring Indonesia—an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands—over more than a decade has led me to some truly jaw-dropping beaches, some gloriously desolate, others vibrantly alive with international travelers, expats, and locals. — Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2026 The challenge now is whether the Keys can absorb the money without losing the character that made the string of islands a low-key, low-stress, tropical destination. — Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 As a volunteer with the American Red Cross, Evans sat in her Orland Park home preparing to embark on disaster relief efforts as one of the strongest tropical cyclones struck islands in the Pacific Ocean last month. — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 Fiji Airways allows passengers transiting through its hub in Nadi the option to explore the islands for a couple of days before continuing with their journey. — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026 The islands, recovering from Hurricane Lala, were still forecast to receive heavy rain and tropical storm-force gusts related to the passing storm, according to the National Weather Service in Honolulu. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026 Brown loved her summers on an island off the coast of Maine nearly as much as the Finnish-Swedish Tove Jannson, creator of the Moomin stories, loved her time in the islands off the Swedish coast. — Anne E. Fernald, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026 Last week, Putin visited Iturup, one of the four southernmost islands of the chain, which Japan calls the Northern Territories. — ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026 As Tropical Storm Lala continued moving west away from Hawaii on Monday, residents were dealing with the destruction from the heavy rain the storm brought to the islands over the weekend. — Jonathan Vigliotti, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for islands

Noun

The bleakness of those far northern isles, the punishing, incessant wind, the wild beauty of the land and rugged coastline are unforgettably conjured alongside her inner struggle to stay sober.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
Fishermen found the 46-year-old woman and her 24-year-old son stranded on Balaloho Island, one of the small inhabited isles among the Selayar Islands, officials said.

— Mohammad Taufan, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026

Definition of isles

Browse Nearby Words

island

islands

isle

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Islands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/islands. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of islands

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

southpaw

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

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

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Popular

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

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes