1
a
: a compactly settled area usually larger than a village but smaller than a city
b
: a compactly settled area as distinguished from surrounding rural territory
c
: a large densely populated urban area : city
d
: an English village having a periodic fair or market
2
: a particular town or city under consideration
the circus came to town
3
: the city or urban life as contrasted with the country
4
a
: the inhabitants of a city or town
practically the whole town turned out for the parade
b
: the townspeople of a college or university town as distinct from the academic community
relations between town and gown
5
: a New England territorial and political unit usually containing under a single town government both rural areas and urban areas not having their own charter of incorporation
also : a New England community governed by a town meeting
6
dialectal, England : a cluster or aggregation of houses recognized as a distinct place with a place-name : hamlet
7
: a group of prairie dog burrows
town adjective
Phrases
on the town
: in usually carefree pursuit of entertainment or amusement (such as city nightlife) especially as a relief from routine

Examples of town in a Sentence

the town of Jackson, Florida The nearest shopping mall is two towns away. The town plans to increase property taxes. We're heading to town later on.
Recent Examples on the Web In the attack, a Pan Am transatlantic flight from Frankfurt to Detroit was destroyed by a bomb 38 minutes after takeoff while flying over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing all 243 passengers and 16 crew members. Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2024 Ten-year-old Rocco Tano feels trapped in the impoverished rural town of Ortona and lost in the chaos of his family life. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 5 Mar. 2024 Footing the $100 million bill for this over the top, three-day bash in the coastal town of Jamnagar is the groom to be’s father, Mukesh Ambani, the world’s 10th richest man, and Asia’s wealthiest. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024 In the coal mine town of Toretsk, nearly leveled to the ground by constant shelling, Brett met a local Orthodox priest, who also decided to stay. Venya Brykalin, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2024 On Saturday, a tornado warning was issued in the Kings County town of Corcoran, 50 miles south of Fresno, where a possible second tornado formed. Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 The resulting devastation threatens Main Street’s rich historic value, which contributes to tourism as the leading economic driver of the once-prosperous mining town of about 5,000 residents. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2024 The Musgraves operate the school near Piedmont, a town of roughly 1,900 residents more than 300 miles southeast of Kansas City. Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 3 Mar. 2024 Another voter, Tony Wilcoxson, the mayor of the nearby town of Rose City, emerged and shook hands with Mr. Phelan. J. David Goodman, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'town.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English tūn enclosure, village, town; akin to Old High German zūn enclosure, Old Irish dún fortress

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 6

Time Traveler
The first known use of town was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near town

Cite this Entry

“Town.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/town. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

town

noun
1
a
: a compactly settled area that is usually larger than a village but smaller than a city
2
: the people of a town
town adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on town

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