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
town
adjective
see also on the town
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 on the Web
Outdoor adventures Sydney is also very much an outdoor town, from Bondi Beach to boats in the harbor.
—
Zach Wichter, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
That’s exactly what 8-30g was designed to do, override local zoning and force towns to act.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 2 Jan. 2026
The series, which premiered on Netflix at the end of 2024, tells the story of the Buendía family over multiple generations and is set in the fictitious town of Macondo, Colombia, which the family founded.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Jan. 2026
While the campus, partially modeled after Oxford University’s Christ Church in England, should definitely be at the top of your list of things to do in Rome, there are plenty of other reasons to visit the small town.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for town
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Zach Wichter, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
That’s exactly what 8-30g was designed to do, override local zoning and force towns to act.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 2 Jan. 2026
The series, which premiered on Netflix at the end of 2024, tells the story of the Buendía family over multiple generations and is set in the fictitious town of Macondo, Colombia, which the family founded.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Jan. 2026
While the campus, partially modeled after Oxford University’s Christ Church in England, should definitely be at the top of your list of things to do in Rome, there are plenty of other reasons to visit the small town.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for town
Cite this Entry
“Town.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/town. Accessed 4 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
town
noun1
a
: a compactly settled area that is usually larger than a village but smaller than a city
b
2
: the people of a town
town
adjective
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