the big city

noun phrase

—used to refer to a particular city without naming it

I grew up on a farm, so my move to the big city was a big change.

life in the big city

Examples of the big city in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But ever since De Souza and his wife and business partner Sydney Younggreen began opening — and closing — their restaurant concepts in Denver, it’s been hard not to equate them with the big city. —Colin Wrenn, Denver Post, 4 Dec. 2025

Netflix Oswald Set in a world filled with kindness, Oswald the oversized octopus navigates life in the big city alongside his friends Henry and Daisy. —Sherri Gordon, Parents, 3 Dec. 2025

The thing is, everyone thinks of me as the successful one, the one who moved to the big city and made it. —Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025

In a feat rarely seen in the market, the movie’s second weekend far outstripped its first as the story of a country bunny who goes to the big city deeply resonated with local audiences. —Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 24 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for the big city

• fugacity
• intercity
• lubricity
• rhythmicity
• seismicity
• sphericity
• subcommittee
• tendinitis
• atomicity
• catholicity
• ellipticity
• historicity