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• Pacific Rim
  Pacific Rim

  noun

  a geographic area that includes all the landmasses that border the Pacific Ocean when considered collectively, but which often refers specifically and socioeconomically to eastern Asia: What do the economies in Europe and the Pacific Rim tell us about current trends?
• Pacific rim
  Pacific rim

  noun

  the regions, countries, etc, that lie on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, esp in the context of their developing manufacturing capacity and consumer markets

Pacific Rim

American  

[puh-sif-ik rim] / pəˈsɪf ɪk ˈrɪm /

noun

1. a geographic area that includes all the landmasses that border the Pacific Ocean when considered collectively, but which often refers specifically and socioeconomically to eastern Asia: What do the economies in Europe and the Pacific Rim tell us about current trends?

   coastal erosion in the Pacific Rim;

   What do the economies in Europe and the Pacific Rim tell us about current trends?

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Pacific rim British  

noun

1. the regions, countries, etc, that lie on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, esp in the context of their developing manufacturing capacity and consumer markets

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Etymology

Origin of Pacific Rim

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Crane visited Japan last year and decided to boost Houston's Pacific Rim presence with scouts in Tokyo, Taiwan and South Korea.

From Barron's • Jan. 6, 2026

Instead of tit for tat, the prime minister is pivoting Canada with precision toward alternative trade blocs like Europe and the Pacific Rim.

From Salon • Aug. 11, 2025

How much potential do other countries around the Pacific Rim have for becoming alternatives to China in terms of manufacturing?

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 18, 2024

The UK has also agreed to join an existing trade agreement between 11 Pacific Rim nations.

From BBC • Jan. 26, 2024

We split up the rest, the Chinese, Laotians, Singaporans, Filipinos, the whole transplanted Pacific Rim.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee