atoll

Definition of atollnext
as in island
a ring-shaped land mass surrounded by water and made of coral

Related Words

Relevance

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 atoll Colonial powers reshaped many atolls, removing native forests to plant fast-growing coconut palm plantations. — NPR, 3 Aug. 2026 The tiny coral limestone atoll was colonized by Germany and later administered by Australia before becoming an independent republic in 1968. — Charlotte Graham-McLay, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also claim some of the 250 islands, reefs and atolls in the waterway. — Ivan Watson, CNN Money, 24 July 2026 To date, more than 180 resorts dot the Maldives’ lush atolls. — Katie Lockhart, Robb Report, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for atoll
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atoll
Noun
  • Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, who is stationed at Futenma Air Station, on suspicion of strangling Anna Yagi, 39, at a hotel in the island's capital city, Naha, early Saturday and stealing her wallet and backpack.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The group has properties in multiple destination towns and cities, from the old capital of Ayutthaya to the island of Phuket.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The Exumas are a chain of islands and cays known for their ultra-clear water and white, sandy beaches.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 29 May 2026
  • At Ambergris Cay, private aviation and immigration clearance on the cay remove the public mechanics of arrival altogether.
    — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Noun
  • Less than two miles long and a third of a mile wide, the islet was created from sand dredged from the river in the 1960s when the Elbe was deepened to allow container ships to travel upriver to port in Hamburg.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
  • In Angra dos Reis, there are dramatic mountain vistas, verdant jungle carpeting every ridge and islet, and warm, cerulean water.
    — Hannah Seligson, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Perhaps those most exposed to ocean changes are small developing island states which are on the frontline of sea level rise, increasingly intense cyclones, storm surges and coral reef die-offs.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Like the wavy structures of a coral reef, layered deposits in the Arabia Terra region of Mars showcase the planet's strange beauty and even stranger past.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 28 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Atoll.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atoll. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on atoll

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!