as in city
a thickly settled, highly populated area
a sprawling cosmopolis where ambitious people from all over come to make their fortune
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Recent Examples of cosmopolis
While Istanbul and Cappadocia are more popular with tourists to Turkey, don't miss the chance to explore Izmir, which was once the country's most thriving cosmopolis.
—
Lilit Marcus, CNN, 8 Oct. 2022
Istanbul is a cosmopolis unlike any other—where the remains of former empires, the cultural influences of multi-ethnic communities, and contemporary Turkish identity all exist in delicate harmony.
—Feride Yalav-Heckeroth, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 June 2022
On the Volga a quasi-capital rose at Sarai, established by Batu around 1250, and grew into a cosmopolis of artisans, farmers, and merchants from as far away as Syria, Egypt, even Greece—so many that a New Sarai was founded upriver.
—Colin Thubron, The New York Review of Books, 6 July 2021
For decades a symbol of all that was dead and dysfunctional in the ever-expanding cosmopolis, the river is undergoing its own rehabilitation, shedding some of its visible concrete.
—Alexandra Marshall, WSJ, 14 Aug. 2018
Lilit Marcus, CNN, 8 Oct. 2022
Istanbul is a cosmopolis unlike any other—where the remains of former empires, the cultural influences of multi-ethnic communities, and contemporary Turkish identity all exist in delicate harmony.
—Feride Yalav-Heckeroth, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 June 2022
On the Volga a quasi-capital rose at Sarai, established by Batu around 1250, and grew into a cosmopolis of artisans, farmers, and merchants from as far away as Syria, Egypt, even Greece—so many that a New Sarai was founded upriver.
—Colin Thubron, The New York Review of Books, 6 July 2021
For decades a symbol of all that was dead and dysfunctional in the ever-expanding cosmopolis, the river is undergoing its own rehabilitation, shedding some of its visible concrete.
—Alexandra Marshall, WSJ, 14 Aug. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cosmopolis
Noun
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Four Fort Worth restaurants were temporarily closed, and roaches were found at others during the latest round of city health inspections, according to the inspection reports.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The amnesty showed how quickly money can still a city and attract investment.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Above, the hazy silhouettes of Mumbai’s suburban high rises — a view of the postcard metropolis of the movies.—
Taran Khan,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Let’s concede for a moment, just by dint of statistics, that this guy has to be white and live in a suburb of a secondary or tertiary metropolis.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
An Iranian missile attack on Saturday hit the southern Israeli desert town of Dimona, badly wounding a child, according to Israel's ambulance service, and injuring dozens of others.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
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This collection of 17 sandy beaches has something for everyone, plus an idyllic central town with charming cobblestoned streets.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cosmopolis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cosmopolis. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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