as in citizen
a person who lives in a town on a permanent basis
thousands of townsmen turned out to vote on the school budget
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 townsman
These were probably composed by Sebastian Lotzer, a townsman and furrier, on the basis of hundreds of complaints that different groups of peasants had been formulating for weeks beforehand.
—
Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
One cut scene, Good recalls, featured a townsman sacrificing himself with a homemade net bomb.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 21 Aug. 2025
Every year, villagers in Brittany gathered to have their sins forgiven, dance the gavotte, and watch the young townsmen wrestle after denouncing the devil.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 11 July 2025
According to respective Instagram posts from his show co-star Melissa Gilbert and son Clint Lilley, Lilley died Wednesday after a storied career as a Hollywood stuntman and actor, who played various roles on the beloved '70s historical drama, including a townsman and stagecoach driver.
—Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
The townsmen feared his razor-sharp teeth, lightning speed, and quick temper.
—Maeve Dunigan, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024
Whereas most of the townsmen had a stronger right upper arm bone than the left—suggesting difficult physical labor—some men buried on the hospital grounds had symmetrical arm bones, and their skeletal remains suggested a relatively long and healthy life.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023
Mountaineers and townsmen of eastern Tennessee cam in hundreds to pack the auditorium.
—sandiegouniontribune.com, 11 July 2018
Our esteemed fellow-townsman Dr. Arnold is making a tour of Boise County on professional business.
—Arthur Hart, idahostatesman, 2 Mar. 2018
Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
One cut scene, Good recalls, featured a townsman sacrificing himself with a homemade net bomb.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 21 Aug. 2025
Every year, villagers in Brittany gathered to have their sins forgiven, dance the gavotte, and watch the young townsmen wrestle after denouncing the devil.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 11 July 2025
According to respective Instagram posts from his show co-star Melissa Gilbert and son Clint Lilley, Lilley died Wednesday after a storied career as a Hollywood stuntman and actor, who played various roles on the beloved '70s historical drama, including a townsman and stagecoach driver.
—Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
The townsmen feared his razor-sharp teeth, lightning speed, and quick temper.
—Maeve Dunigan, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024
Whereas most of the townsmen had a stronger right upper arm bone than the left—suggesting difficult physical labor—some men buried on the hospital grounds had symmetrical arm bones, and their skeletal remains suggested a relatively long and healthy life.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023
Mountaineers and townsmen of eastern Tennessee cam in hundreds to pack the auditorium.
—sandiegouniontribune.com, 11 July 2018
Our esteemed fellow-townsman Dr. Arnold is making a tour of Boise County on professional business.
—Arthur Hart, idahostatesman, 2 Mar. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for townsman
Noun
-
More than 17,500 American citizens have returned to the US from the Middle East since the war with Iran began six days ago, according to the State Department.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Let’s go, Sacramento, and do the right thing, for the health of SNAP families, and all of our citizens.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
On Monday people fled southern Lebanon after Israel launched multiple strikes and Jerusalem warned villagers there to evacuate.—
BRIAN MELLEY,
Austin American Statesman,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Guftar, a Pakistani villager living near Torkham, urged the governments to reach a ceasefire, saying ordinary people are bearing the brunt of the conflict.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Townsman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/townsman. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
