urban sprawl

noun

Definition of urban sprawlnext
as in city

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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 urban sprawl The brighter, almost sitcom-adjacent universe that Jane navigates isn’t the hostile urban sprawl of Araki’s earlier work; Jane plays far too much Zoo Tycoon for that. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Apr. 2026 Several flowering trees grow amid Indianapolis's urban sprawl, but the Yoshino cherries inside White River State Park attract visitors every spring to soak up the floral extravaganza. — Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 25 Mar. 2026 Commutes had lengthened due to urban sprawl and more traffic congestion. — Rafaela Jinich, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026 Fields soon replaced the graffiti and urban sprawl, stretching in rectangles of straw-gold and damp green. — Vic O'Sullivan, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for urban sprawl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for urban sprawl
  1. city
  2. town
  3. inner city
  4. municipality
  5. asphalt jungle
  6. metropolis
  7. garden city
  8. downtown
Noun
  • Multiple agencies from surrounding cities helped with the investigation.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The relief was palpable in the Thai resort city of Pattaya on Wednesday as service members disembarked for a night on the town.
    — Sam Winslade, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of city
Noun
  • Her body was found Monday morning in the waters near Hagley Landing, a boat ramp leading to the Waccamaw River in the small town of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, following an extensive search involving hundreds of people and multiple agencies.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In her latest book, Stay Buried, siblings new to a remote Vermont town discover that the locals live in fear of a vengeful spirit.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of town
Noun
  • Initially covering the inner city, it was expanded in August 2023 to cover the capital’s outer boroughs and suburbs.
    — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Most Black people in the inner city shop in variety, drug and discount stores.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 7 July 2026
Definition of inner city
Noun
  • To successfully integrate these returnees, Damascus must empower governorates and municipalities with the resources and autonomy to solve problems pertaining to service delivery, job creation, and education in real time.
    — Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The landslide and subsequent flood wave have left a path of destruction in Nepal's Rasuwa municipality, home to several hydropower projects and at least one border crossing point approximately 13 miles downstream.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of municipality
Noun
  • But there’s nothing stopping the surfer from hanging out in the parking lot up the cliff, an asphalt jungle with its own territorial, dog-eat-dog ecosystem.
    — Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 May 2024
  • But Honk does understand concrete’s importance in the asphalt jungle.
    — Jim Radcliffe, Orange County Register, 3 May 2024
Definition of asphalt jungle
Noun
  • Johannesburg’s Cultural Evolution Johannesburg (also known as Joburg or Jozi) is South Africa’s largest metropolis and the epicenter of its complex cultural evolution.
    — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Its capital, Panama City, is a thriving metropolis largely powered by industries stemming from the Panama Canal, like banking and maritime services.
    — DeMarco Williams, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of metropolis
Noun
  • Although Marrakech is known as The Red City, it is also known as a garden city, and the resort is an homage to that.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 July 2026
  • Opatija is lush, a garden city watered by springs flowing from Mount Učka.
    — Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2026
Definition of garden city
Noun
  • The building is part of a boom of condo construction, including 70 Vestry and 150 Charles Street, that has turned this downtown zone along the West Side Highway into another celebrity cluster.
    — Bridget Read, Curbed, 1 Sep. 2026
  • On Sunday, the newlyweds planned to cap off the celebrations with a boat cruise through downtown Chicago for their guests.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of downtown

Browse Nearby Words

urban legend
urban sprawl
urban sprawls
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Cite this Entry

“Urban sprawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/urban%20sprawl. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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