boulevard

noun

bou·​le·​vard ˈbu̇-lə-ˌvärd How to pronounce boulevard (audio)
ˈbü-
also ˈbə-
Synonyms of boulevardnext
: a broad often landscaped thoroughfare

Synonyms of boulevard

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Examples of boulevard in a Sentence

the city is celebrated for its broad, tree-lined boulevards
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Getting the new library open isn’t as simple, though, as simply trucking boxes of books down the boulevard. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026 Then the musical group collated the various streets, roads, places, drives, boulevards and cardinal directions into 53 seconds of gold. — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 23 Aug. 2026 And yes, there’s a mature Jacaranda tree that grows on the boulevard just outside the eatery. — R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is circulating photos of 27 people seen earlier this month at the auto supply business at Atlantic and Olympic boulevards. — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for boulevard

Word History

Etymology

French, modification of Middle Dutch bolwerc bulwark

First Known Use

1763, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of boulevard was in 1763

Rhymes for boulevard

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Browse Nearby Words

bouleuterion
boulevard
boulevardier
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Cite this Entry

“Boulevard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boulevard. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

boulevard

noun
bou·​le·​vard ˈbu̇l-ə-ˌvärd How to pronounce boulevard (audio)
ˈbül-
: a wide avenue often having grass strips with trees along its center or sides
Etymology

from French boulevard "walkway lined with trees," derived from early Dutch bolwerc "bulwark, rampart"; so called because the earliest boulevards were at sites of razed fortifications — related to bulwark

More from Merriam-Webster on boulevard

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about boulevard

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