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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rural
While unusual, such incidents are not unheard of in semi-rural areas, where livestock can sometimes find their way onto roads.
—
Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
However, Motherwell notes that Michigan has rural areas that are not reached by broadband or digital and satellite services.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 6 Jan. 2026
This includes rural areas in Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and San Luis Obispo counties.
—Sacbee.com, 6 Jan. 2026
Oklahoma’s application for a five-year, $50 billion rural health fund secured the state over $223 million for 2026.
—Jillian Taylor, StateImpact, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rural
Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
However, Motherwell notes that Michigan has rural areas that are not reached by broadband or digital and satellite services.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 6 Jan. 2026
This includes rural areas in Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and San Luis Obispo counties.
—Sacbee.com, 6 Jan. 2026
Oklahoma’s application for a five-year, $50 billion rural health fund secured the state over $223 million for 2026.
—Jillian Taylor, StateImpact, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rural
Adjective
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Previous discoveries of cremations in Africa date to pastoral neolithic herders from 3,500 years ago or later food-producing societies with higher population densities, which made the discovery even more unexpected, the researchers said.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
6 Jan. 2026
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The Ford Complex brings British grandeur to a pastoral Georgia scene thanks to Neo-Gothic architecture inspired by Oxford University’s Christ Church College.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
2 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Signs of a shift were apparent when Iam Tongi, a young reggae talent from Hawaii, and proud Mormon, became Idol’s first non-country winner in three years.—
Zach Schonfeld,
Rolling Stone,
25 Dec. 2025
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Save 70% off multi-country tours through Exoticca Travelers looking for deep discounts will find some of the steepest savings at Exoticca, where Travel Tuesday deals offer up to 70% off top global experiences, from cultural deep-dives to scenic, multi-country getaways—all available to book now.—
Paris Wilson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Inside, guests are greeted by the cozy tavern, a cocktail of rustic Adirondack style and modern trappings—the tables adorned in their nightly best, expectantly awaiting patrons.—
Lauren Breedlove,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Jan. 2026
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The rustic farmhouse-style shelves are a hit with shoppers, who rave about their durability and strength.—
Cheryl Wagemann,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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For years, residents living amid the tracts of suburban sprawl and bucolic farmland along Santa Clara County’s southern reaches often traveled upwards of an hour by car to seek cardiac care in San Jose.—
Grace Hase,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
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This cream-of-the-crop hospitality, not to mention Wildflower Farms’ bucolic, utopia-evoking environs, seems like an ideal gateway for Abask — which, since 2022, has been in the business of breathing an air of unfussy refinement into the home decor space — to do its best work.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
30 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rural. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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