mainstream

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /meɪn.stɹiːm/ See IPA manual

noun adj verb Freq #13384

Meanings

1

adj
Accepted by or appealing to most people, rather than a small group.

The band's new album gave them mainstream success at last.
2

noun
The ideas, activities, or attitudes that are shared by most people.

Once a fringe idea, recycling is now part of the mainstream.
3

verb
To make something become normal or widely accepted.

Streaming services helped mainstream foreign-language films.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · accepted by or appealing to... common conventional usual widespread

Opposites

alternative fringenonmainstream

Word family

Forms mainstreamedmainstreamingmainstreams

Derived forms antimainstreamblackstreamfakestreamgaystreamlamestreammainsleazemainstreamablemainstreamermainstreamingmainstreamishmainstreamismmainstreamist

Etymology

From main + stream. Cognate with Icelandic meginstraumur (“a main current, mainstream”).

Topics

Describing Qualities Cause, Change & Process

# mainstream

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, adj, verb
**IPA (US):** meɪn.stɹiːm
**Frequency rank:** 13384

## Meanings
1. Accepted by or appealing to most people, rather than a small group.
2. The ideas, activities, or attitudes that are shared by most people.
3. To make something become normal or widely accepted.

## Examples
- The band's new album gave them mainstream success at last.
- Once a fringe idea, recycling is now part of the mainstream.
- Streaming services helped mainstream foreign-language films.

## Antonyms
- alternative
- fringe
- nonmainstream

## Derived Forms
- antimainstream
- blackstream
- fakestream
- gaystream
- lamestream
- mainsleaze
- mainstreamable
- mainstreamer
- mainstreaming
- mainstreamish
- mainstreamism
- mainstreamist

## Etymology
From main + stream. Cognate with Icelandic meginstraumur (“a main current, mainstream”).

## AI Etymology
Mainstream comes from main + stream. Cognate with Icelandic meginstraumur (“a main current, mainstream”). The surrounding word family includes derived forms such as antimainstream, blackstream, fakestream, and gaystream. In present use it covers accepted by or appealing to most people, rather than a small group, the ideas, activities, or attitudes that are shared by most people, and to make something become normal or widely accepted.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Cause, Change & Process

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mainstream

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