city

noun

ˈsi-tē How to pronounce city (audio)
Definition of citynext
as in town
a thickly settled, highly populated area commuters who drive every day between their homes in the suburbs and their jobs in the city

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of city One hundred years later, the country was awash with federal, state, city and philanthropic funding for a music-happy bicentennial of exceptional ambition. — Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026 Among the most significant changes is a new enforcement mechanism allowing the city to impose a $5,000 fine on property owners who fail to comply with city requirements. — Brian Maass, CBS News, 2 July 2026 Every four years, some of the most iconic sporting videos that go viral on social media capture the sound of cities erupting in jubilation as their national soccer teams score a goal in the FIFA World Cup. — Idaho Statesman, 2 July 2026 The American Southeast The barrier islands and coastal cities of South Carolina and Georgia cool to the perfect temperature in October and November. — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for city
Recent Examples of Synonyms for city
  1. town
  2. metropolis
  3. municipality
Noun
  • Located in the seaside town of Orebić, Villa Korta Katarina & Winery comprises eight luxurious suites, each designed with French balconies or terraces offering stunning sea views.
    — Tia Lovisa Moreira, Travel + Leisure, 2 July 2026
  • Beyond the foliage there's apple picking, harvest festivals, Halloween in Salem and a string of storybook towns.
    — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of town
Noun
  • About 80 miles from Los Angeles, Lake Arrowhead is yet another easy mountain getaway for residents of SoCal’s largest metropolis.
    — Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2026
  • The modern Miami metropolis was built over the ruins of an earlier civilization.
    — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
Definition of metropolis
Noun
  • Palm Beach adopted the restrictions in November 2024, while Miami Beach and several other municipalities in Miami-Dade began enforcing the limits in May 2025 after the state law took effect.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
  • That, combined with reams of uncleared rubble, create a hotbed for mosquitoes and rodents, according to Mohanna, the water municipality spokesperson.
    — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Definition of municipality

Phrases Containing city

Browse Nearby Words

citizens
city
city slicker
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“City.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/city. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on city

Nglish: Translation of city for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about city

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All