town

noun \ ˈtau̇n \

|Updated on: 22 Jun 2018

Examples: town in a Sentence

Definition of town

1 a : a compactly settled area usually larger than a village but smaller than a city

b : a compactly settled area as distinguished from surrounding rural territory

c : a large densely populated urban area : city

d : an English village having a periodic fair or market

2 : a particular town or city under consideration

the circus came to town

3 : the city or urban life as contrasted with the country

4 a : the inhabitants of a city or town

practically the whole town turned out for the parade

b : the townspeople of a college or university town as distinct from the academic community

relations between town and gown

5 : a New England territorial and political unit usually containing under a single town government both rural areas and urban areas not having their own charter of incorporation; also : a New England community governed by a town meeting

6 dialectal, England : a cluster or aggregation of houses recognized as a distinct place with a place-name : hamlet

7 : a group of prairie dog burrows

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town

adjective

— on the town

: in usually carefree pursuit of entertainment or amusement (such as city nightlife) especially as a relief from routine

See town defined for English-language learners

See town defined for kids

Examples of town in a Sentence

the town of Jackson, Florida
The nearest shopping mall is two towns away.
The town plans to increase property taxes.
We're heading to town later on.

Recent Examples of town from the Web

The 4th of July celebration in this town halfway between Fresno and Sacramento salutes first responders.

— april orcutt, latimes.com, "Here's where you'll find maximum fun for your Fourth of July celebrations," 17 June 2018
If the bay is the only show in town, the demand will far outstrip the supply.

— john schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, "Bristol Bay is a happy place right now, but time — and the marketplace – will tell if those smiles last," 17 June 2018
And history matters here in this gritty town still reeling from the collapse of the logging industry, and where working-class families have lived for generations.

— erik lacitis, The Seattle Times, "Huge Aberdeen fire steals thousands of pieces of town history, including a Kurt Cobain exhibit," 16 June 2018
The museum is in one of the oldest buildings in town.

— kim windyka, Daily Intelligencer, "The 9 Best Offbeat Museums to Visit in Las Vegas," 16 June 2018
The Oakwood Beach location of Mamby on the Beach sure is inviting, but scenic surroundings aside, the two-day music event boasts one of the ballsiest cross-genre bills of any midsize fest in town.

— leor galil, Chicago Reader, "Mamby on the Beach presents a human mixtape of longtime favorite artists and rising talent," 15 June 2018
Tagert had given it to Dale Carey, the father of outfielder D.K. Carey, who was in town to see his son play for the first time this season.

— michael osipoff, Post-Tribune, "Life imitates art: Alex Gunn gets first shutout for RailCats after pitching a near no-hitter on 'Brockmire'," 14 June 2018
The battle, reminiscent of the old west, ended a reign of terror that threw the peaceful little coast community into a turmoil when White walked into town and engaged in an argument with Zahniser, a butcher, over a $40 note.

— sandiegouniontribune.com, "June 13, 1932: Gunfight in Carlsbad," 13 June 2018
Anne Hathaway and Awkwafina were, unfortunately, not in town for the London premiere of Ocean’s 8.

— jordan amchin, Vanities, "The Best Looks at the Ocean’s 8 London Premiere," 13 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'town.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.