mountainous

adjective

moun·tain·ous ˈmau̇n-tə-nəs

ˈmau̇nt-nəs

Synonyms of mountainous

: containing many mountains

mountainous wilderness

: resembling a mountain : huge

a stormy ocean with mountainous waves

mountainously adverb

mountainousness noun

Examples of mountainous in a Sentence

the seemingly mountainous obstacles he had to overcome while growing up

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Nepal is still recovering from a devastating flood in August along the mountainous Nepal-China border that left more than 1,400 people dead and thousands more missing. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026 Jean Massillon, who became a prominent voice against gang violence after his mountainous enclave became a battleground in Haiti’s raging violence, has died, the country’s central government announced on Friday. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026 The hotel itself is perched on the edge of the mountainous Arashiyama forest, a verdant expanse with a profound, serene quiet that seems to wrap around the entire property. — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Oct. 2026 The property's three floors are built into the surrounding hillside in order to complement and meld into the mountainous landscape. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mountainous

Word History

Etymology

Middle English mounteynous, borrowed from Anglo-French muntaignus, from muntaigne, mountaigne mountain + -us -ous

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of mountainous was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Mountainous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mountainous. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mountainous

adjective

moun·tain·ous ˈmau̇nt-ᵊn-əs

-nəs

: having many mountains

: resembling a mountain : huge

mountainous

adjective

Synonyms of mountainous

Examples of mountainous in a Sentence

Word History

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Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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