zoning

noun

zon·​ing ˈzō-niŋ 

: the act or process of partitioning a city, town, or borough into zones reserved for different purposes (such as residence or business)

also : the set of ordinances by which such zones are established and regulated

voted to change the town's zoning

zoning laws

Examples of zoning in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While county voters have previously rejected candidates who ran on culture war issues such as promoting book bans in schools or alleging election fraud, those who ran on platforms opposing zoning changes or apartment development had still found success at the polls in recent years. —Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 7 Nov. 2025

The township board approved a rezoning for the project, but a citizen petition drive gathered enough signatures to force a public vote on the zoning question in 2026. —Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 7 Nov. 2025

Kelly Stanco, a city planning official spearheading the preservation reforms, said the 72 beach cottages designated historic in Ocean Beach’s district aren’t eligible for that incentive, which lets developers build many more units than the zoning of a property would otherwise allow. —David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2025

But the state agency has no jurisdiction over local zoning rules. —Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for zoning

• boning
• cloning
• coning
• droning
• groaning
• honing
• loaning
• moaning
• owning
• phoning
• stoning
• toning

Legal Definition

zoning

noun

zon·​ing

: municipal or county regulation of land use effected through the creation and enforcement of zones under local law