urbanize
verb
ur·ban·ize
ˈər-bə-ˌnīz 
urbanized; urbanizing
1
: to cause to take on urban characteristics
urbanized areas
2
: to impart an urban way of life to
urbanize migrants from rural areas
Examples of urbanize in a Sentence
every September the city of Boston urbanizes a new crop of college students from small towns across the country
Recent Examples on the Web
Farmers in the modern world Farmers’ contribution to the Cold War shored up their cultural and political importance in a rapidly industrializing and urbanizing United States.
—
Peter Simons, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2026
Farmers in the modern world Farmers’ contribution to the Cold War shored up their cultural and political importance in a rapidly industrializing and urbanizing United States.
—Peter Simons, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
Conflict zones are likely to evolve through shifting alliances, urbanizing battlefields, and expanding involvement of regional actors, while armed groups and criminal networks may reorganize rapidly, creating new uncertainties for governments and humanitarian agencies.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
During the party’s push to urbanize China in the 2000s, many farmers had to surrender even these meager rights in exchange for an apartment and a welfare check.
—Ian Johnson, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for urbanize
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Peter Simons, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2026
Farmers in the modern world Farmers’ contribution to the Cold War shored up their cultural and political importance in a rapidly industrializing and urbanizing United States.
—Peter Simons, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
Conflict zones are likely to evolve through shifting alliances, urbanizing battlefields, and expanding involvement of regional actors, while armed groups and criminal networks may reorganize rapidly, creating new uncertainties for governments and humanitarian agencies.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
During the party’s push to urbanize China in the 2000s, many farmers had to surrender even these meager rights in exchange for an apartment and a welfare check.
—Ian Johnson, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for urbanize
Cite this Entry
“Urbanize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/urbanize. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
urbanize
verb
ur·ban·ize
ˈər-bə-ˌnīz
urbanized; urbanizing
1
: to cause to have an urban appearance
urbanized areas
2
: to cause to take on an urban way of life
urbanized the peasant population
urbanization
noun
ˌər-bə-nə-ˈzā-shən
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