as in cities
a thickly settled, highly populated area
after driving for miles with nothing but corn and wheat fields to look at, we were relieved to roll into a small town and have a bite to eat at the local diner
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Recent Examples of towns
The warning applies to residents of 11 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, according to Reuters, telling them to evacuate their homes and move at least 3,300 feet away to open areas.
—
Christopher Cann, USA Today, 4 May 2026
The original parchment was rolled up and stored in the office of the secretary of the Continental Congress, but was then moved around a fair amount during the war—bouncing around towns and cities in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey before ending up, in 1785, in New York.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Mali was struck late last month by one of the biggest coordinated attacks on its army in Bamako and several other cities by jihadis and rebels who seized several towns and military bases.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
Legislators decided to pour extra money into the towns this year that includes an additional $180 million for education and an additional $100 million to help distressed cities and towns.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
With Reynoso, O’Keefe-Dunne had seven children, and the family lived in three towns in California — McFarland, Cambria and Fullerton — before the couple split up in 1969.
—Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Earlier today, the Israeli military issued an urgent evacuation warning for multiple towns in southern Lebanon, including several north of the Litani River.
—Charbel Mallo, CNN Money, 3 May 2026
With temperatures 10 to 20 degrees cooler than the nearby cities, the charming towns of Jackson County, North Carolina, provide the ultimate escape from the dog days of summer.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 3 May 2026
The vessel was seized on Wednesday in waters between the coastal towns of Hafun and Bandarbeyla in the semi-autonomous state of Puntland along the Indian Ocean.
—ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
Christopher Cann, USA Today, 4 May 2026
The original parchment was rolled up and stored in the office of the secretary of the Continental Congress, but was then moved around a fair amount during the war—bouncing around towns and cities in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey before ending up, in 1785, in New York.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Mali was struck late last month by one of the biggest coordinated attacks on its army in Bamako and several other cities by jihadis and rebels who seized several towns and military bases.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
Legislators decided to pour extra money into the towns this year that includes an additional $180 million for education and an additional $100 million to help distressed cities and towns.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
With Reynoso, O’Keefe-Dunne had seven children, and the family lived in three towns in California — McFarland, Cambria and Fullerton — before the couple split up in 1969.
—Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Earlier today, the Israeli military issued an urgent evacuation warning for multiple towns in southern Lebanon, including several north of the Litani River.
—Charbel Mallo, CNN Money, 3 May 2026
With temperatures 10 to 20 degrees cooler than the nearby cities, the charming towns of Jackson County, North Carolina, provide the ultimate escape from the dog days of summer.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 3 May 2026
The vessel was seized on Wednesday in waters between the coastal towns of Hafun and Bandarbeyla in the semi-autonomous state of Puntland along the Indian Ocean.
—ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for towns
Noun
-
Jim Desmond, 70, a Republican and San Diego County supervisor, is running for Congress representing inland North County cities, the San Diego County backcountry and parts of Riverside County in California’s 48th Congressional District.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
In a county that includes 88 cities, all of which have overlapping and sometimes conflicting ideas, there have been few avenues for reaching consensus.—
National Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
As one of the world’s great metropolises, Tokyo takes its exalted status very seriously.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
-
From Atlantic beaches to Western mountains to central metropolises, there’s a destination suited to every type of traveler.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Towns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/towns. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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