continental united states: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumFormal, Academic, Technical
Quick answer
What does “continental united states” mean?
The contiguous 48 states of the United States, excluding Alaska and Hawaii.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The contiguous 48 states of the United States, excluding Alaska and Hawaii.
Often used to distinguish the main contiguous landmass of the U.S. from its non-contiguous states and territories; in some contexts excludes only Alaska and Hawaii, sometimes also excludes territories like Puerto Rico and Guam.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Not directly applicable as a U.S.-specific geographical term. UK speakers would use it only when discussing U.S. geography.
Connotations
Primarily a technical/geopolitical descriptor without strong cultural connotations in UK usage.
Frequency
Virtually unused in everyday UK English; only appears in specific contexts like news reports, academic geography, or logistics.
Grammar
How to Use “continental united states” in a Sentence
in + the continental United Statesto + the continental United Statesfrom + the continental United StatesVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in logistics, shipping, and market definitions. e.g., 'Our delivery rates apply only to the continental United States.'
Academic
Used in geography, political science, and environmental studies to define scope.
Everyday
Used when discussing travel, relocation, or shipping restrictions. e.g., 'Does this service cover the continental United States?'
Technical
Used in military, postal, telecommunications, and legal documents to specify jurisdiction or service area.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “continental united states”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “continental united states”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “continental united states”
- Using 'mainland United States' interchangeably without noting potential ambiguity with Alaska.
- Omitting 'United States' and just saying 'continental', which is unclear.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Washington D.C. is located within the contiguous 48 states and is part of the continental United States.
No, it does not. Alaska is part of the North American continent but is not contiguous with the other 48 states. The term specifically refers to the contiguous 48 states.
'Continental U.S.' precisely means the 48 contiguous states. 'Mainland U.S.' can sometimes be used to mean the same thing, but it is ambiguous because Alaska is also on the North American mainland. In careful usage, 'continental United States' is preferred for clarity.
It is crucial for logistics, law, shipping rates, weather forecasting, and telecommunications, where services, regulations, and physical realities differ for the contiguous states versus non-contiguous states and territories.
The contiguous 48 states of the United States, excluding Alaska and Hawaii.
Continental united states is usually formal, academic, technical in register.
Continental united states: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkɒn.tɪˈnen.təl juːˌnaɪ.tɪd ˈsteɪts/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkɑːn.t̬əˈnen.t̬əl juːˌnaɪ.t̬ɪd ˈsteɪts/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “from sea to shining sea (poetic for the contiguous U.S.)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CONTINENT as one big connected landmass. The Continental U.S. is the big connected part of the country.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE CORE/BODY (vs. the distant limbs/islands).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is typically excluded from the 'continental United States'?