small-town
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or characteristic of a town or village.
a typical, small-town general store.
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provincial or unsophisticated.
small-town manners.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of small-town
First recorded in 1880–85
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.
In 1989, Parton returned to the big screen in Herbert Ross’ “Steel Magnolias,” in which her straight-talking small-town salon owner, Truvy Jones, was the firm-hold hairspray uniting an unforgettable array of Southern belles.
From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026
It’s about 20 miles north of downtown Boston and offers a small-town feel while being close to major employers, such as the Mass General Brigham Healthcare Center.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
While Kennedy describes himself at times as a small-town lawyer from Sacramento, he knew the two California governors, both Republicans, who reshaped the Supreme Court.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
DC Studios will also grace Hall H to preview its HBO series "Lanterns," starring Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as small-town Nebraska detectives, which debuts August 16.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
I’d always imagined the whiff had something to do with owning a small-time T-shirt shop in a small-time town and dealing with messed-up small-town teens, such as myself, during most of his waking hours.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
