headlands

noun

plural of headland
1
as in peninsulas
an area of high ground jutting out into a body of water beyond the line of the coast the lighthouse, situated on a narrow, rocky headland, commands an expansive view of the coast

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in capes
an area of land that juts out into a body of water navigation is notoriously difficult at the southernmost tip of South America, where ships must round the headland of Cape Horn

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 headlands One of the biggest changes was to replace the long, rock groins originally proposed with short, landscaped headlands. — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026 Twenty-one hundred miles can already be walked, allowing visitors to view England’s famous headlands, cliffs, beaches, and dunes, as well as castles, oceanside resorts, and wartime relics. — Gloria Liu, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026 Once twilight fades, the cliffs and headlands nearby become excellent places to watch for bright Perseid meteors. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 15 July 2026 If time allows for a mini roadtrip, cross the Golden Gate Bridge and head out to Point Reyes National Seashore, a treasure trove of rocky headlands, beaches, and waterfall hikes. — Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026 Trade those greatest hits for a few hours’ drive above Dublin and the reward is a wilder, more elemental Ireland — Atlantic headlands carved by weather rather than postcards, beaches that appear out of nowhere, and cliffs that don’t require elbowing for a view. — David Dickstein, Oc Register, 13 May 2026 From bay to headlands, the Crosstown Trail slices diagonally across San Francisco in a 17-mile arc. — Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026 Wind gusts will be particularly strong along windward ridges and exposed coastal headlands. — Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 24 Dec. 2025 Bondi Beach, Australia Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach sports a sweeping, kilometer-long curve of golden sand, between two headlands, lashed by surf waves. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headlands
  1. peninsulas
  2. capes
  3. promontories
Noun
  • Permafrost changes underway in 2026 The Seward and Baldwin peninsulas in northwestern Alaska are hot spots for lakes suddenly draining.
    — Anna Liljedahl, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2026
  • North Country National Scenic Trail spans eight states, including more than 1,100 miles in Michigan through urban and rural areas in the Upper and Lower peninsulas.
    — Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of peninsulas
Noun
  • Hair changes, blankets become capes, and sunglasses migrate between friends.
    — Svetlana Khachiyan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The players then throw off their capes as the crowd goes crazy.
    — John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of capes
Noun
  • Tracing the length of one of these wild, winding promontories is the glorious, 46-mile Queen Charlotte Track, says Helen Pickles in The Times.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The promontories rising on each side of the Strait of Gibraltar are known as the Pillars of Hercules.
    — Elizabeth Fernandez, Big Think, 4 Sep. 2025
Definition of promontories

Browse Nearby Words

headland
headlands
headlight
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Cite this Entry

“Headlands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headlands. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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