tent city
noun
plural tent cities
: a collection of many tents set up in an area to provide usually temporary shelter (as for people who don't have a permanent place of residence)
Tent cities of displaced homeowners have sprung up …—
Matt Woolsey
Matt WoolseyAnti-sweatshop protesters at FSU pitched a tent city last March to demand that the school join the Workers Rights Consortium …—Meline Toumani et al.
Meline Toumani et al.Examples of tent city in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Some nights, that can mean as many as four random checks that force occupants of the tent city to wake up and produce their student IDs.
—David Ubben, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
To power the generators and light the tent city, the site uses up to 12,000 gallons of diesel.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
The two helicopters involved flew a dozen total loads of cargo from the icebreaker ship to the camp site, while glacial scientists and engineers erected a small tent city, complete with bathrooms, generators, and a mess hall.
—Joe Wilkins Published Jan 28, Futurism, 28 Jan. 2026
Wintry weather hits tent cities Over past weeks, cold winter rains have repeatedly lashed the sprawling tent cities, causing flooding, turning Gaza’s dirt roads into mud and causing buildings damaged in Israeli bombardment to collapse.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026
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David Ubben, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
To power the generators and light the tent city, the site uses up to 12,000 gallons of diesel.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
The two helicopters involved flew a dozen total loads of cargo from the icebreaker ship to the camp site, while glacial scientists and engineers erected a small tent city, complete with bathrooms, generators, and a mess hall.
—Joe Wilkins Published Jan 28, Futurism, 28 Jan. 2026
Wintry weather hits tent cities Over past weeks, cold winter rains have repeatedly lashed the sprawling tent cities, causing flooding, turning Gaza’s dirt roads into mud and causing buildings damaged in Israeli bombardment to collapse.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tent city
Cite this Entry
“Tent city.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tent%20city. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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