as in cities
a thickly settled, highly populated area
after driving for miles with nothing but corn and wheat fields to look at, we were relieved to roll into a small town and have a bite to eat at the local diner
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of towns
On April 26, 1986, an explosion at the nuclear power plant in Ukraine sent radiation across Europe and forced the evacuation of entire towns, displacing tens of thousands.
—
Derek Gatopoulos, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
Bartolo was born and raised in the Arkansas River Valley, where water rights sell-offs to Front Range cities in the 1970s decimated farm fields and towns.
—Bruce Finley, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
The terms of 8-30g sharply limit the reasons the affluent suburbs and rural towns can use to justify rejecting affordable housing proposals.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
Small towns and big cities alike are commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
—Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
Along with Surf City and North Topsail Beach, this retreat is one of three towns that make up the 26-mile-long Topsail Island.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
The spread of colleges into towns and cities across the country, which put a degree within reach of a growing share of the public, is one of the triumphs of postwar America.
—Jeffrey Selingo, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2026
Hungary’s towns and cities are speckled with posters showing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, often alongside Orbán’s opponent in the election, Péter Magyar.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
This scenic train runs from San Diego to San Luis Obispo with plenty of stops in cute seaside towns.
—Acacia Gabriel, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2026
Derek Gatopoulos, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
Bartolo was born and raised in the Arkansas River Valley, where water rights sell-offs to Front Range cities in the 1970s decimated farm fields and towns.
—Bruce Finley, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
The terms of 8-30g sharply limit the reasons the affluent suburbs and rural towns can use to justify rejecting affordable housing proposals.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
Small towns and big cities alike are commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
—Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
Along with Surf City and North Topsail Beach, this retreat is one of three towns that make up the 26-mile-long Topsail Island.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
The spread of colleges into towns and cities across the country, which put a degree within reach of a growing share of the public, is one of the triumphs of postwar America.
—Jeffrey Selingo, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2026
Hungary’s towns and cities are speckled with posters showing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, often alongside Orbán’s opponent in the election, Péter Magyar.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
This scenic train runs from San Diego to San Luis Obispo with plenty of stops in cute seaside towns.
—Acacia Gabriel, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for towns
Noun
-
Instead, a system known as PURL has been established, whereby NATO and Europe fund weapons purchases urgently needed by Ukraine, such as Patriot missiles (which can shoot down Russian ballistic or cruise missiles that target cities).—
Trudy Rubin,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Royal Caribbean’s Icon-class ships are floating cities at sea.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Towns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/towns. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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