terrain
noun
ter·rain tə-ˈrān 
also te-
1
a(1)
: a geographic area
(2)
: a piece of land : ground
b
: the physical features of a tract of land
2
: terrane sense 1
3
a
: a field of knowledge or interest
b
: environment, milieu
Synonyms
- area
- arena
- bailiwick
- barony
- business
- circle
- demesne
- department
- discipline
- domain
- element
- fief
- fiefdom
- field
- firmament
- front
- game
- kingdom
- line
- precinct
- province
- realm
- specialty
- sphere
- walk
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
We had to drive over some rough terrain. We hiked through a variety of terrains.
Recent Examples on the Web Rescuers said neither hiker was familiar with the area, had left the trail, and did not have any ropes, harnesses, climbing equipment or proper footwear for such steep and dangerous terrain. 
Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 7 Sep. 2022 Excessive heat, low humidity as well as steep terrain will be the biggest challenges for firefighters, fire officials said in an update. Aya Elamroussi, CNN, 3 Sep. 2022 Low humidity, excessive heat and steep terrain continue to pose significant challenges for firefighters. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2022 Teams of two or three athletes maneuver a massive loop through the steep and rugged terrain around the Mont Blanc massif in parts of France, Switzerland, and Italy. Brian Metzler, Outside Online, 24 Aug. 2022 Flash floods were barreling down the region's steep terrain, and endangering lives. New York Times, 5 Aug. 2022 As the 55,000-acre McKinney fire continued to burn in steep and difficult terrain in Klamath National Forest on Monday, emergency crews encountered increasingly grim evidence of the wildfire’s extraordinary and explosive growth. Tribune News Service, oregonlive, 2 Aug. 2022 The 2,000 firefighters battling the blaze will encounter tough conditions including low humidity, high temperatures, and steep terrain, Cal Fire said. Editors, USA TODAY, 25 July 2022 The Oak Fire, which erupted Friday, was 10% contained Monday as firefighters traversed steep terrain in sweltering temperatures and low humidity. Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 25 July 2022 See More
Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 7 Sep. 2022 Excessive heat, low humidity as well as steep terrain will be the biggest challenges for firefighters, fire officials said in an update. Aya Elamroussi, CNN, 3 Sep. 2022 Low humidity, excessive heat and steep terrain continue to pose significant challenges for firefighters. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2022 Teams of two or three athletes maneuver a massive loop through the steep and rugged terrain around the Mont Blanc massif in parts of France, Switzerland, and Italy. Brian Metzler, Outside Online, 24 Aug. 2022 Flash floods were barreling down the region's steep terrain, and endangering lives. New York Times, 5 Aug. 2022 As the 55,000-acre McKinney fire continued to burn in steep and difficult terrain in Klamath National Forest on Monday, emergency crews encountered increasingly grim evidence of the wildfire’s extraordinary and explosive growth. Tribune News Service, oregonlive, 2 Aug. 2022 The 2,000 firefighters battling the blaze will encounter tough conditions including low humidity, high temperatures, and steep terrain, Cal Fire said. Editors, USA TODAY, 25 July 2022 The Oak Fire, which erupted Friday, was 10% contained Monday as firefighters traversed steep terrain in sweltering temperatures and low humidity. Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 25 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
French, land, ground, from Old French terrein, from Vulgar Latin *terranum, alteration of Latin terrenum, from neuter of terrenus of earth — more at terrene
First Known Use
1766, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)
Phrases Containing terrain
Kids Definition
terrain
noun
ter·rain tə-ˈrān
: the features of the surface of a piece of land
hilly terrain
swampy terrain
terrains
noun
1
as in areas
a region of activity, knowledge, or influence we're moving into unfamiliar terrain if we bring pre-Columbian art into our discussion Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- areas
- realms
- domains
- fields
- spheres
- departments
- kingdoms
- walks
- territories
- elements
- provinces
- specialties
- arenas
- disciplines
- circles
- fronts
- games
- precincts
- subjects
- fiefs
- businesses
- fiefdoms
- studies
- baronies
- bailiwicks
- confines
- demesnes
- frontiers
- firmaments
- lines
- pursuits
- turfs
- dimensions
- professions
- scopes
- occupations
- vocations
- widths
- extents
- rackets
- amplitudes
- ambits
- breadths
- reaches
- subspecialties
- subfields
- compasses
- turves
- sweeps
- sub-specialties
- kens
2
as in landscapes
the physical features of a region as a whole an analysis of the terrain revealed that an invasion force of paratroopers would have their work cut out for them Synonyms & Similar Words
- landscapes
- geographies
- topographies
- sceneries
- landforms
- geomorphologies
- chorographies
- lands
- terranes
- terrenes
- grounds
3
as in environments
the circumstances, conditions, or objects by which one is surrounded a new senator getting lost in the foggy terrain of double-dealing and deception Synonyms & Similar Words
- environments
- surroundings
- atmospheres
- climates
- environs
- contexts
- surrounds
- spaces
- settings
- climes
- ambients
- locations
- milieus
- places
- situations
- elements
- backdrops
- milieux
- mediums
- habitats
- backgrounds
- geographies
- contextures
- mise-en-scènes
- media
- positions
- microenvironments
- statuses
- mutineering
- mutineers
- mutines
- muting
- muting switch
- mutini
- mutinied
- mutinied (against)
- mutinied against
- mutinies
- mutinies (against)
- mutinies against
- mutining
- mutinize
- mutinous
- mutinously
- mutinousness
- mutinousnesses
- mutinuses
- mutinusses
- mutiny
- mutiny (against)
- mutiny against
- mutinying
- mutinying (against)