municipality
noun
mu·nic·i·pal·i·ty
myu̇-ˌni-sə-ˈpa-lə-tē 
plural municipalities
1
: a primarily urban political unit (such as a city or town) having corporate (see corporate sense 1a) status and usually powers of self-government
Elections were held in the municipality.
2
: the governing body of a municipality
The municipality approved the budget for the year.
Examples of municipality in a Sentence
laws that have been enacted by many states and municipalities
a municipality with an excellent police department
Recent Examples on the Web
In its December 2025 decision, the appellate court cited a 2024 gun industry-friendly state law that stripped away municipalities’ right to sue firearms or ammunition manufacturers, trade associations, sellers or dealers.
—
Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026
Licenses and Permits Even a summer side hustle may need certain business licenses and permits to legally perform its work and comply with its municipality’s rules and regulations.
—Allbusiness, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Indeed, back in the 1990s and 2000s, municipalities across the country were happily demolishing Brutalist eyesores made to house the poor.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
Within those statics is a Haitian population that makes the city the largest Haitian-American run municipality in the United States, with the majority of the council born in Haiti.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for municipality
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.
Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026
Licenses and Permits Even a summer side hustle may need certain business licenses and permits to legally perform its work and comply with its municipality’s rules and regulations.
—Allbusiness, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Indeed, back in the 1990s and 2000s, municipalities across the country were happily demolishing Brutalist eyesores made to house the poor.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
Within those statics is a Haitian population that makes the city the largest Haitian-American run municipality in the United States, with the majority of the council born in Haiti.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for municipality
Cite this Entry
“Municipality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/municipality. Accessed 27 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
municipality
noun
mu·nic·i·pal·i·ty
myu̇-ˌnis-ə-ˈpal-ət-ē
plural municipalities
: a self-governing city or town
Legal Definition
municipality
noun
mu·nic·i·pal·i·ty
myu̇-ˌni-sə-ˈpa-lə-tē
plural municipalities
: a primarily urban municipal corporation
also
: the governing body of a municipality
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
