continental United States

American  

[kon-tn-en-tl yoo-nahy-tid steyts] / ˌkɒn tnˈɛn tl yuˈnaɪ tɪd ˈsteɪts /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of continental United States

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Winter Storm Fern is forecast to engulf an area well over half the length of the continental United States, stretching from Texas and the Great Plains region to the mid-Atlantic and northeastern states.

From Barron's

They’re childhood friends of mine, and we were excited to try to bag the tallest mountain in the continental United States.

From Los Angeles Times

Although the aurora borealis is typically confined to the northern polar region, Tuesday’s light show could be seen in many parts of the continental United States as a burst of solar energy collided with Earth’s magnetic field, sending supercharged particles cascading through the atmosphere.

From Los Angeles Times

In other words, every city in the continental United States.

From Literature

The return of winter has already claimed a life on the tallest mountain in the continental United States, with the death of a hiker on slippery Mt.

From Los Angeles Times