skyline
Americannoun
-
the boundary line between earth and sky; the apparent horizon.
A sail appeared against the skyline.
-
the outline of something, as the buildings of a city, against the sky.
the New York skyline.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
the line at which the earth and sky appear to meet; horizon
-
the outline of buildings, mountains, trees, etc, seen against the sky
Etymology
Origin of skyline
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He says he does not want to share his name as he stands among the crowds cramming into vantage points for a view of Chongqing's neon-lit, stacked skyline.
From BBC • May 12, 2026
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
But I’ll hunt for the moon above the city skyline and imagine the fresh footprints that will be left on its surface when the next mission, Artemis III, goes even further.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
“No, Pop. There’s lot of smart kids. But I’m learning. “The skyline, Manhattan’s skyline has changed.
From "Towers Falling" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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.
