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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It's consistently ranked one of the fastest growing cities in the country and crane—industrial, that is—might as well be the unofficial city bird.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 Mar. 2026
-
This city, already exhausted by conflict, has been hit hard in recent days, with multiple Israeli airstrikes targeting the suburbs of southern Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Even if that were true though, these localities — like those in other high-demand metropolises — could still build more housing vertically with tall apartment buildings.—
Greg Rosalsky,
NPR,
24 Feb. 2026
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In that sense, the show’s diversity is an apt reflection of the large, varied and fast-growing metropolis.—
Benjamin Lima
Special Contributor,
Dallas Morning News,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In addition to the classic brown-and-yellow boot laces, a set of two-town brown Taslan shoelaces are included.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
28 Feb. 2026
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An opening for the Islamic State came one day in June, 2013, nearly a year after Manbij’s liberation, when the body of a young man was discovered by a shepherd outside town.—
Anand Gopal,
New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cosmopolis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cosmopolis. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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