Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

Johannesburg

American  
[joh-han-is-burg, -hah-nis-, yoh-hahn-uhs-bœrkh] / dʒoʊˈhæn ɪsˌbɜrg, -ˈhɑ nɪs-, yoʊˈhɑn əsˌbœrx /

noun

  1. a city in S Transvaal, in the NE Republic of South Africa.


Johannesburg British  
/ dʒəʊˈhænɪsˌbɜːɡ /

noun

  1. a city in N South Africa; the capital of Gauteng province: South Africa's largest city and chief industrial centre; grew with the establishment in 1886 of the gold-mining industry; University of Witwatersrand (1922). Pop: 1 009 036 (2001)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Johannesburg Cultural  
  1. Largest city in South Africa, located in the northeastern part of the country.


Discover More

It is the commercial center for South Africa's diamond and gold industries.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A few months earlier, the brothers were reportedly kicked out of a luxury apartment block in the affluent Johannesburg suburb of Sandton after complaints about the noise they were making.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

Four of the men landed in Johannesburg last week, while two remained in Russia where one of them was in hospital, according to the South African government.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

South Africa's police service has refused to comment on the letter sent by the Johannesburg law firm Mashele Attorneys, which is representing the Lungu family.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

The scene echoes the rush that built Johannesburg, the country's financial capital, at the turn of the 20th century.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

Sponsored by a major newspaper, the Johannesburg Sunday Times, their team had inspired effusive national pride and had received a personal blessing from President Nelson Mandela prior to their departure.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer