plural mainstays
1
a
: a crucial or key part of something
Fish is the mainstay of their diet.
Tourism is a mainstay of the city's economy.
The mainstay of treatment for chronic hives of unknown origin is antihistamine medications.—
Mayo Clinic Health Letter
Mayo Clinic Health Letter
b
: someone or something that is a principal or reliable support or resource
Tourism is one of the city's economic mainstays.
Her immense pride in him and unquestioning support were among the few mainstays in his life.—Robert V. Remini
Robert V. Remini2
: a ship's stay (see stay entry 1 sense 1) extending from the maintop forward usually to the foot of the foremast
Synonyms
Examples of mainstay in a Sentence
Fish is a mainstay of their diet.
My mother has always been the mainstay of our family.
Recent Examples on the Web
Cabbage and cauliflower steaks are now mainstays on many restaurant menus across the country.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2024
There, it is collected in cleanup campaigns conducted by a hospitality industry eager to keep the beaches pristine for tourists—the mainstay of the Fijian economy.
—By Aryn Baker/lautoka, Fiji , TIME, 3 July 2024
Cotton remained the mainstay of southern agriculture.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 1 July 2024
Princess Kate has been a mainstay at Wimbledon over the years.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 1 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for mainstay 
Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2024
There, it is collected in cleanup campaigns conducted by a hospitality industry eager to keep the beaches pristine for tourists—the mainstay of the Fijian economy.
—By Aryn Baker/lautoka, Fiji , TIME, 3 July 2024
Cotton remained the mainstay of southern agriculture.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 1 July 2024
Princess Kate has been a mainstay at Wimbledon over the years.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 1 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for mainstay
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mainstay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near mainstay
Cite this Entry
“Mainstay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mainstay. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mainstay
noun
main·stay
-ˌstā 
1
: a large strong rope running from the maintop of a ship usually to the foot of the foremast
2
: a chief support
the mainstay of the family
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