rural

adjective

ru·​ral ˈru̇r(-ə)l How to pronounce rural (audio)
ˈrər(-ə)l
Synonyms of ruralnext
: of or relating to the country, country people or life, or agriculture
rurality noun
rurally adverb

Examples of rural in a Sentence

She lives in a rural area. grew up in a rural community where more than half the people were farmers
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.
Water has been a focus of the Newsom administration since his first day in office, when the governor took his cabinet to Monterey Park Tract, a rural Central Valley community that lacked access to safe drinking water. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026 When the Affordable Care Act took effect in 2010, 340B program eligibility broadened, unlocking discounts for certain rural hospitals, children’s hospitals, some disease-specific treatment programs, and hospitals that serve a significant share of low-income patients. Dené K. Dryden, Twin Cities, 8 May 2026 Top-down mandates from Sacramento that make sense for a school in a wealthy ZIP code make no sense for one in a rural area. Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026 The Administration listed field offices for closure, then delisted them, though some rural outposts, in Iowa, Montana, and West Virginia, offer only phone service owing to the loss of staff. E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for rural

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin ruralis, from rur-, rus open land — more at room

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rural was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rural.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rural. Accessed 13 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

rural

adjective
ru·​ral ˈru̇r-əl How to pronounce rural (audio)
: of or relating to the country, country people or life, or agriculture

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