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 Deaths were also reported in three other Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv, according to Zelensky. — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026 Meanwhile, only 15% of city households earn $200,000 or more. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026 Police in the Mazovia province, which counts Warsaw as one of its cities, posted a photo on X showing a policeman, his hand placed on the back of a person lying down with hands tied in the back. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026 After a year of dating, they got engaged and bought a home together in Inverness, a city in Central Florida. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for city
Recent Examples of Synonyms for city
  1. town
  2. metropolis
  3. municipality
Noun
  • The heated pool at the Sebastian is the stuff of ski town dreams, with a waterfall, stone galore, multiple hot tubs, and servers who bring snacks and cocktails.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • As health officials monitor those in isolation, the Siberian town is waiting to see if the containment walls will hold.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of town
Noun
  • Here, in the heart of an expansive park filled with birds and monkeys, is a refuge from the frenzy of this teeming metropolis.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Atlanta, the sprawling southern metropolis, is used to serving as a temporary home for the rare black-and-white bears.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of metropolis
Noun
  • Nearly 30 other entities and municipalities — including Beverly Hills, Culver City and West Hollywood — rely on Hyperion to treat their sewage.
    — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The state budget passed this summer included a provision forcing Charlotte-area municipalities who opposed adding toll lanes to Interstate 77 South to either reverse their opposition or repay NCDOT for money already spent on the project.
    — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 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 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on city

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about city

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All