sponge city
noun
a type of urban planning model which emphasizes the management of flooding and stormwater through green infrastructure.
sponge cities
-
pluralof sponge city.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
Meanwhile, critics have pointed out that some of China’s most touted sponge cities, like Zhengzhou in Henan province, have still experienced devastating floods.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2025
Some cities, known as sponge cities, are built with a focus on green spaces which can absorb water and reduce the impact of heavy rainfall.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2024
The goal, at least on paper, is that by 2030, 70% of the rain that falls on China’s sponge cities during extreme weather events should be absorbed locally rather than accumulate in the streets.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 31, 2024
Instead of fearing floods, one man has come up with an idea to embrace them by creating sponge cities to soak up rainfall.
From BBC ● Nov. 11, 2021
Others noted that sponge cities were not a panacea.
From New York Times ● Jul. 26, 2021
