townspeople

plural noun

towns·​peo·​ple ˈtau̇nz-ˌpē-pəl How to pronounce townspeople (audio)
1
: the inhabitants of a town or city : townsmen
2
: town-dwelling or town-bred persons

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The wreck spewed toxic fumes into the air, contaminated soil and drove townspeople out of their homes. Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN, 23 Feb. 2023 In February 1651, a stream of townspeople in Springfield, Mass., filed into the home of magistrate William Pynchon to report unsettling occurrences. Barbara Spindel, WSJ, 22 Nov. 2022 In the town of Staryi Saltiv, women were ladling out soup into containers for a line of townspeople as other volunteers ran a generator for people to charge their cellphones. Carlotta Gall Ivor Prickett, New York Times, 24 Oct. 2022 The film follows several townspeople who try to decide what to do with a dead body. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 24 Jan. 2023 Players personify Wes, the coyote in this game that sets out to retake the city of Lonesome and reinstate its beleaguered townspeople by solving puzzles to ascend the mysterious tower that rose in town. Holly Jones, Variety, 23 Nov. 2022 She’s hardly settled in before her restful stay is interrupted by a series of terrible townspeople, from a naked stalker to a frisky vicar, all portrayed by Rory Kinnear. Jim Kiest, San Antonio Express-News, 11 Aug. 2022 Down the street from the welcome sign at Robb Elementary School, one of many places where townspeople gather to mourn and place bouquets, Rolando winced. Dallas News, 31 May 2022 In a scenic coastal town in southern Brazil, people have cooperated with wild dolphins for more than 140 years to catch mullets, the silvery fish that serve as a source of income for townspeople and as meals for the friendly marine mammals. Andrew Jeong, Washington Post, 31 Jan. 2023 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of townspeople was in 1587

Dictionary Entries Near townspeople

Cite this Entry

“Townspeople.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/townspeople. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

townspeople

noun plural
towns·​peo·​ple ˈtau̇nz-ˌpē-pəl How to pronounce townspeople (audio)
: the people who live in a town or city

More from Merriam-Webster on townspeople

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