skyline

American  

[skahy-lahyn] / ˈskaɪˌlaɪn /

noun

1. the boundary line between earth and sky; the apparent horizon.

   A sail appeared against the skyline.

2. the outline of something, as the buildings of a city, against the sky.

   the New York skyline.

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verb (used with object)

skylined, skylining

1. to outline (something) against the sky.

skyline British  

/ ˈskaɪˌlaɪn /

noun

1. the line at which the earth and sky appear to meet; horizon

2. the outline of buildings, mountains, trees, etc, seen against the sky

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Etymology

Origin of skyline

First recorded in 1855–60; sky + line ¹

Explanation

In a city, the row of buildings you can see right at the horizon is called a skyline. The best views of the Manhattan skyline are from New Jersey and Brooklyn. When you're near a city but not in the center of it, you can really appreciate its skyline. Officially, you don't need a full-fledged city to have a skyline, just an outline of land or buildings along the horizon. Still, when you think of skylines, you probably think of New York or Los Angeles or Shanghai. The word dates from 1824.

Example Sentences

The construction, once it begins, will change the skyline of the harbor.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

At a viewpoint overlooking Chiang Mai, the city skyline was almost entirely obscured, with only faint outlines of hills visible through a dense grey haze and a dim orange sun hanging in the sky.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

The 13-mile Lake Monona Loop winds through parks and along the water, with some of the best lake and skyline views in the city.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

And while Manchester's skyline and music venues are constantly changing, making Grimshaw feel "like a grandma" whenever he returns, the "northern hospitality", as he puts it, remains the same.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

She saw no sign of pursuit by whales or otherwise, but Percy, Frank, and Hedge didn’t start to recover until the Atlanta skyline was a hazy smudge in the distance.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• horizon