Southeast Asia

American  

[sohth-eest ey-zhuh, ey-shuh] / ˈsoʊθˌist ˈeɪ ʒə, ˈeɪ ʃə /

noun

1. the countries and land area of Brunei, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

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Southeast Asia British  

noun

1. a region including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam

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Southeast Asia Cultural  

1. A geographical subdivision of Asia that includes the following nations: Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

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Other Word Forms

• Southeast Asian adjective

Example Sentences

Exports of Chinese electric vehicles -- for which Southeast Asia is a major market -- doubled in March, compared to the same month last year across all manufacturers, according to the industry association CPCA.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

It is illegal under Philippine law and widely banned across Southeast Asia because of its destructive impact on marine ecosystems.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

The team studied nearly 2,500 mtDNA genomes from Aboriginal Australians, New Guineans, and populations across Southeast Asia and the western Pacific.

From Science Daily • Apr. 9, 2026

Find insight on Fuel prices in Southeast Asia and more in the latest Market Talks covering energy and utilities.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Isn’t that prominence just an ephemeral phenomenon of the last few centuries, now fading behind the prominence of Japan and Southeast Asia?

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond