as in cities
a thickly settled, highly populated area
a big, teeming metropolis where ambitious people from all over come to make their mark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of metropolises
As one of the world’s great metropolises, Tokyo takes its exalted status very seriously.
—
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
The federation, based inside Beth El, is entirely volunteer-run and rarely publicizes events or occasions — a sharp contrast to the vibe in the Jewish metropolises of South Florida.
—Larry Luxner, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
The city’s geographic location insulates it from some of the excesses and blinkered thinking that often dominate other metropolises.
—Daniel Holz, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
The small city of Sausalito, California, promises a Mediterranean escape minutes from one of the nation’s biggest metropolises, San Francisco.
—Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
The fighting has grounded regional air traffic, threatened desalination facilities that provide drinking water to millions and undermined the safe reputation of modern metropolises such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE are, for all practical purposes, completely dependent on the desalination plants, particularly for metropolises such as Dubai.
—Javier Blas, Twin Cities, 9 Mar. 2026
Crockett argued that Democrats need to focus on energizing their base, betting that motivated voters in metropolises like Houston and Dallas could swamp Republicans.
—ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026
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
The federation, based inside Beth El, is entirely volunteer-run and rarely publicizes events or occasions — a sharp contrast to the vibe in the Jewish metropolises of South Florida.
—Larry Luxner, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
The city’s geographic location insulates it from some of the excesses and blinkered thinking that often dominate other metropolises.
—Daniel Holz, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
The small city of Sausalito, California, promises a Mediterranean escape minutes from one of the nation’s biggest metropolises, San Francisco.
—Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
The fighting has grounded regional air traffic, threatened desalination facilities that provide drinking water to millions and undermined the safe reputation of modern metropolises such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE are, for all practical purposes, completely dependent on the desalination plants, particularly for metropolises such as Dubai.
—Javier Blas, Twin Cities, 9 Mar. 2026
Crockett argued that Democrats need to focus on energizing their base, betting that motivated voters in metropolises like Houston and Dallas could swamp Republicans.
—ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for metropolises
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
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Metropolises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/metropolises. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
