Tarawa

American

[tuh-rah-wuh, tar-uh-wah, tah-rah-wah] / təˈrɑ wə, ˈtær əˌwɑ, ˈtɑ rɑˌwɑ /

noun

one of the Gilbert Islands, in the central Pacific; capital, since 1979, of the independent nation of Kiribati: U.S. victory over Japanese forces after severe fighting, November, 1943. 14 sq. mi. (36 sq. km).

Tarawa British

/ təˈrɑːwə /

noun

an atoll in Kiribati, occupying a chain of islets surrounding a lagoon in the W central Pacific: the capital of Kiribati, Bairiki, is on this atoll. Pop: 45 989 (2005)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

At the same time, Kiribati's population of around 130,000 is expected to grow, with rapid urbanisation, particularly in the capital Tarawa placing additional strain on already limited land and resources.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

When the Marines headed toward the beach on the Tarawa atoll in 1943, things didn’t go well.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Those include the embassy in embassy in Nuku’alofa, an embassy in Honiara, Solomon Islands, that opened in January; and planned embassies in Port Vila, Vanuatu, and in Tarawa, Kiribati.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 20, 2023

The Chinese currently operate a space tracking station on Tarawa atoll in Kiribati.

From Washington Times • Jul. 15, 2022

On the night of the nineteenth a quarter moon rose over the sea while the fleet stood seven miles off Tarawa.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023