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

See Examples For:

Damascus

Aimee, 31, was on a steady path to a career in academia when she had her "road to Damascus" moment.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

The two-day trip began Monday night, when he arrived in Damascus and dined with Sharaa.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

"Macron has sought to engage with us in Syria and followed every step and stage of the transition," Sharaa said, adding that his French counterpart had helped in the lifting of international sanctions on Damascus.

From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026

At the law school at Damascus University, more than 300 students attended a recent seminar addressed by international war crime legal specialists including Stephen Rapp, a former U.S. ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues.

From Slate ● May 27, 2026

He would pay the men and boys, and would then sell the fish all over western Syria—Lattakia, Baniyas, Damascus.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers