continental United States

[kon-tn-en-tl yoo-nahy-tid steyts]

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. an official designation for the 49 states, plus the District of Columbia, that are located on the continent of North America, which does not include the state of Hawaii.

Word History and Origins

Origin of continental United States¹

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

He was the son of Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Delbert Wong, the first Chinese American judge in the continental United States, and Dolores Wong, a psychiatric social worker and leader in the effort to establish a public library in Chinatown.

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The sorts of missiles that would attack the continental United States—ballistic missiles launched from silos or submarines—would fly as far as 6,000 miles at 10 times the speed of sound.

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A subsequent court order barred the government from removing Mr Abrego Garcia from the continental United States or altering his legal status until 16:00 Wednesday, unless a judge extends the order.

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The Midtown Hilton — or technically, the New York Hilton Midtown — is one of the city’s largest hotels, and the largest Hilton in the continental United States, with nearly 2,000 rooms.

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Cynthia Smith, an Army spokesperson, said Black signed out for his move back home and, “instead of returning to the continental United States, Black flew from Incheon, Republic of Korea, through China to Vladivostok, Russia, for personal reasons.”

Read more on Seattle Times