1
as in haunt
a place for spending time or for socializing
the restaurant, the preferred purlieu of the theatergoing crowd, is always packed an hour or two before showtime
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in vicinity
purlieus plural
an adjoining region or space
we stopped at one of the several pubs in the purlieus of the stadium
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in outskirts
purlieus plural
the districts adjacent to a city
such gated communities are common among the purlieus of these Midwestern cities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purlieu
Noun
-
There’s a lot of historical buildings from 75 years ago that are favored haunts, and then there’s a lot of rock ‘n’ roll clubs from 50 years ago, like the Troubadour and the Whisky a-Go-Go.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2026 -
Shane, whose run in All Out at the Nederlander Theater ends March 8, took some time to show Condé Nast Traveler some of his favorite Manhattan haunts—from a five-star hotel to a tawdry nightclub to the first brow aesthetician that put him at ease.—
Charlie Hobbs,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The consequences of this project — ranging from water depletion and traffic congestion to permanent environmental degradation — will be borne by those in the immediate vicinity, yet the current system ignores this reality.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
23 Mar. 2026
-
If the album positions them in the lineage of sometime tourmates Modest Mouse and the Flaming Lips, Something Worth Waiting For sounds less like a swing for the big time than a merry jaunt into its general vicinity, happy to pick up any alt-rock lifers who’ll come.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Several ski resorts are closing much earlier than planned because there isn't enough snow to keep them open, and the temperatures aren't staying low enough to be able to make snow.—
Jesse Sarles,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The best all-inclusive family resorts in Mexico have all of those features and more.—
Sheryl Nance Nash,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Purlieu.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purlieu. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
