Mainstream
ˈmeɪnstriːm
Definitions
3 meaningsThe prevailing current of thought, opinion, or practice; the dominant trend.
ˈmeɪnstriːm
The ideas, attitudes, or activities that are shared by most people.
The mainstream media often focuses on sensational stories.
💡 Simply: Imagine a big, wide river. The mainstream is the part of the river where most of the water flows. It's the popular or accepted way of doing things, like the kinds of music everyone listens to or the kinds of clothes everyone wears. For example, the popular kind of pop music is usually mainstream music.
👶 For kids: It's like the most popular things! The mainstream is what most people like or do.
More Examples
She challenged the mainstream view on climate change.
The festival aimed to promote alternative music, moving away from the mainstream.
How It's Used
"The mainstream of American culture values individualism and success."
"The movie was too experimental to appeal to the mainstream audience."
Reflecting or relating to the ideas, attitudes, or activities that are shared by most people.
ˈmeɪnstriːm
Belonging to or characteristic of the mainstream.
The band's new album has a more mainstream sound.
💡 Simply: If something is mainstream, it's like everyone else likes it! It's the popular, usual, and common thing. Like, a mainstream movie is one that most people go to see at the cinema!
👶 For kids: Something that most people like or do is mainstream.
More Examples
He decided to adopt a more mainstream approach to his research.
Mainstream fashion trends change rapidly each season.
How It's Used
"The mainstream pop song quickly climbed the charts."
"Mainstream political parties often have similar platforms."
To cause (something) to be incorporated into the mainstream; to integrate or assimilate.
ˈmeɪnstriːm
To cause something to be incorporated into the mainstream.
The government is working to mainstream renewable energy sources.
💡 Simply: To make something more common or accepted. Like if a teacher started teaching about a new topic that everyone thought was weird, but then more and more schools started teaching it, you could say it's becoming mainstream.
👶 For kids: To make something a regular part of everyday life.
More Examples
The initiative aims to mainstream gender equality in the workplace.
The goal of the project is to mainstream marginalized communities into society.
How It's Used
"The school decided to mainstream students with special needs."
"The company is trying to mainstream sustainable practices."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
Mainstream media
Traditional news outlets, such as television, newspapers, and radio, considered to be the primary sources of information for the general public.
"The mainstream media often gets criticized for bias."
From 'main' (referring to the main channel of a river) and 'stream', evolving to describe the prevailing current or direction of thought or activity.
The word began appearing in its figurative sense in the early 20th century, referring to the dominant flow of ideas or culture, initially in contexts related to literature and social commentary.
Memory tip
Think of the main stream of a river, where the water flows most strongly. The mainstream is the most common or popular direction.
Word Origin
"main - principal, primary, stream - flow of water"