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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The roots of the problem–and solutions Continued urban sprawl and population growth only increases the demand for freshwater. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 8 May 2025 Today’s luxury buyers expect not just world-beating range and tech, however, but also an increasing number of customization options—so Cadillac recently invited me to join select media for a drive day and configuration session amid the urban sprawl and mountain canyons of Los Angeles. Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for urban sprawl

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of urban sprawl was in 1934

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Cite this Entry

“Urban sprawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/urban%20sprawl. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

urban sprawl

noun
: the spreading of urban structures into areas surrounding a city

More from Merriam-Webster on urban sprawl

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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