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.

---

Southeast Asia British  

noun

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

---

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.

---

Other Word Forms

• Southeast Asian adjective

Example Sentences

China’s exports to the U.S. have declined, falling more than 26% year-over-year in March, as companies shift production of goods such as electronics and clothing to Southeast Asia and India.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Electric vehicles are gaining momentum beyond Southeast Asia.

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

Europe and Southeast Asia in recent quarters while reducing the number of stores in China.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Soon maps of prehistoric seas were almost solid with hypothesized land bridges–from North America to Europe, from Brazil to Africa, from Southeast Asia to Australia, from Australia to Antarctica.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson