Definition of ruralnext
as in pastoral
of, relating to, associated with, or typical of open areas with few buildings or people grew up in a rural community where more than half the people were farmers a painter noted for his rural landscapes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 rural Granston highly recommends including at least three or four days of cruising along the Mekong River to see rural villages, markets, and local culture. Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2026 Holding the pack was our guide from Hike Armenia, who corralled us through the verdant passage while pointing out rhythms of rural life. Marlise Kast-Myers, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026 In rural Lowell at the south end of the region, farmers were getting ready recently to plant crops. Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026 More than one-third of rural hospitals are at risk of closing. Torie Bosch, STAT, 11 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rural
Adjective
  • For Leo, the visit to Algeria is pastoral but also deeply personal.
    ABC News, ABC News, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Few places feel farther from the Iran war than the potato fields of eastern England, where pastoral landscapes and ancient forests have inspired romantic painters and poets for centuries.
    Max Burman, NBC news, 6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Produced by Sofía Meza Herrera of Blue Paradox Films, the project is positioned as a potential multi-country co-production, with Panama attached and European partners in discussion.
    Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
  • The expansion broadens the company’s country coverage and operational capacity, reflecting a shift away from step-by-step market entry toward multi-country team building.
    Kaitlyn Gomez, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The wood doors with rustic hinges and handles matched the stone base to a tee.
    Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 11 Apr. 2026
  • The 282-acre resort blends into its rustic surroundings, with accommodations providing Hill Country views.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Captive in bucolic panopticons, their lives are at once aesthetically alluring, depressingly regressive and anthropologically fascinating.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
  • While Bag End—the tunnel-like home from Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings franchise—may provide bucolic solace for Frodo Baggins, played by actor Elijah Wood, the hobbit-hole digs are hardly suitable for humans.
    Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 7 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rural. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.

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