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

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Tarawa

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

We shudder to think what the reaction would be in Washington if the battle of Tarawa were fought again today.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026

The Code Talkers participated in all assaults the Marines led in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945 including Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Peleliu and Iwo Jima.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 14, 2022

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

From Washington Times ● Jul. 15, 2022

This was before our forces landed on such awful places as Tarawa and Peleliu, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac

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