urban sprawl
noun
: the spreading of urban developments (such as houses and shopping centers) on undeveloped land near a city
Examples of urban sprawl in a Sentence
efforts to stop urban sprawl
Recent Examples on the Web
As natural landscapes are converted to agriculture or taken over by urban sprawl, logging operations and oil and gas exploration, ecosystems become fragmented and the space that species need to survive and reproduce disappears.
—
Karrigan Börk, The Conversation, 13 May 2025
The population density here averages 2,500 to 13,000 people per square mile — respectable, but nowhere near Japan’s urban sprawl.
—Angelette C. Aviles, Baltimore Sun, 19 Apr. 2025
The rapid population growth has brought in urban sprawl, traffic gridlock, environmental pollution and a declining quality of urban life.
—Hugo A Loaiciga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2025
Established in 2010 by seven friends from southeastern England, the group has earned international fame and fortune by turning urban sprawl into the ultimate obstacle courses.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for urban sprawl
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Karrigan Börk, The Conversation, 13 May 2025
The population density here averages 2,500 to 13,000 people per square mile — respectable, but nowhere near Japan’s urban sprawl.
—Angelette C. Aviles, Baltimore Sun, 19 Apr. 2025
The rapid population growth has brought in urban sprawl, traffic gridlock, environmental pollution and a declining quality of urban life.
—Hugo A Loaiciga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2025
Established in 2010 by seven friends from southeastern England, the group has earned international fame and fortune by turning urban sprawl into the ultimate obstacle courses.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for urban sprawl
Cite this Entry
“Urban sprawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/urban%20sprawl. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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