-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
urban sprawl
noun
: the spreading of urban developments (such as houses and shopping centers) on undeveloped land near a city
Examples of urban sprawl in a Sentence
efforts to stop urban sprawl
Recent Examples on the Web
May 18, 2024 Leer en español A collision of climate change, urban sprawl and poor infrastructure has pushed Mexico City to the brink of a profound water crisis.
—Somini Sengupta César Rodríguez, New York Times, 18 May 2024
Cheap gas results in urban sprawl, long commute times and increasingly polluted air.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024
As such, the hospitality scene is expanding and improving, with new hotels regularly opening all over the urban sprawl.
—Chadner Navarro, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2024
Driving northeast from Bradenton, the dense urban sprawl of the coast gives way to the rapidly expanding boundary of civilization in the once-sleepy village of Parrish.
—Ryan Ballogg, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024
And, of course, the USA and to a lesser extent Canada and Australia chose a different and worse pattern, urban sprawl.
—Michael Barnard, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
Ur was not as resistant to urban sprawl as was previously thought.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023
For California in particular, there is too much urban sprawl, which reduces the density necessary to support rail systems.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Dec. 2023
China’s rapid urbanization generated distinctive architectural and construction styles, heavy civil infrastructure, urban sprawl, and a disregard for historical landmarks, but its policies have also been evolving.
—Simon Curtis and Ian Klaus, Foreign Affairs, 27 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'urban sprawl.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1934, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near urban sprawl
Cite this Entry
“Urban sprawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/urban%20sprawl. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
urban sprawl
noun
: the spreading of urban structures into areas surrounding a city
More from Merriam-Webster on urban sprawl
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for urban sprawl
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share