Damascus

American  

[duh-mas-kuhs] / dəˈmæs kəs /

noun

1. a city in and the capital of Syria, in the SW part: reputed to be the oldest continuously existing city in the world.

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Damascus British  

/ -ˈmæs-, dəˈmɑːskəs /

noun

1. Arabic names: Dimashq.   Esh Sham.  the capital of Syria, in the southwest: reputedly the oldest city in the world, having been inhabited continuously since before 2000 _bc Pop: 2 317 000 (2005 est)

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Damascus ¹ Cultural  

1. An ancient city in Syria (and still its capital today). The Apostle Paul, then an official called Saul, was on his way from Jerusalem (see also Jerusalem) to Damascus to arrest Christians (see also Christian). He underwent a dramatic conversion on the road, in which he fell from his horse, saw a dazzling light, and “heard a voice saying unto him, ‘Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? … I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest.’”

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Damascus ² Cultural  

1. Capital of Syria and largest city in the country, located in southwestern Syria; the country's administrative, financial, and communications center.

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Discover More

The “road to Damascus” is an image for a sudden turning point in a person's life.

Inhabited since prehistoric times, Damascus is widely regarded as the world's oldest city.

Example Sentences

“It is like he’s several different people, or has been,” said journalist and author Catherine Nixon Cooke, whose book “Dodgers to Damascus: David Lesch’s Journey from Baseball to the Middle East” traces those parallel lives.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

It is alleged that in his role, the man led a group tasked with quelling demonstrations in the suburbs of Damascus.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026

The chef has come a long way since he arrived in London after an arduous journey from Damascus with virtually no money in his pocket.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

As a college student in Damascus, Mrie stumbled into her first democratic protest more out of curiosity than conviction.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

She stopped in Damascus and traveled through Ituraea to inspect the territories she held in Judea.

From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby