town
noun
a thickly populated area, usually smaller than a city and larger than a village, having fixed boundaries and certain local powers of government.
town
1 American
[toun]
/ taʊn /
noun
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towns
plural
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a thickly populated area, usually smaller than a city and larger than a village, having fixed boundaries and certain local powers of government.
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a densely populated area of considerable size, as a city or borough.
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(especially in New England) a municipal corporation with less elaborate organization and powers than a city.
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(in most U.S. states except those of New England) a township.
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any urban area, as contrasted with its surrounding countryside.
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the inhabitants of a town; townspeople; citizenry.
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the particular town or city in mind or referred to.
living on the outskirts of town; to be out of town.
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a nearby or neighboring city; the chief town or city in a district.
I am staying at a friend's apartment in town.
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the main business or shopping area in a town or city; downtown.
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British.
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a village or hamlet in which a periodic market or fair is held.
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any village or hamlet.
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Scot. a farmstead.
adjective
idioms
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go to town,
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to be successful.
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to do well, efficiently, or speedily.
The engineers really went to town on those plans.
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to lose restraint or inhibition; overindulge.
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paint the town. paint.
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on the town,
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Informal. in quest of entertainment in a city's nightclubs, bars, etc.; out to have a good time.
a bunch of college kids out on the town.
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supported by the public charity of the state or community; on relief.
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Town
2
American
[toun]
/ taʊn /
noun
town
British
/ taʊn /
noun
-
-
a densely populated urban area, typically smaller than a city and larger than a village, having some local powers of government and a fixed boundary
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( as modifier )
town life
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a city, borough, or other urban area
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(in the US) a territorial unit of local government that is smaller than a county; township
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the nearest town or commercial district
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London or the chief city of an area
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the inhabitants of a town
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the permanent residents of a university town as opposed to the university staff and students Compare gown
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to make a supreme or unrestricted effort; go all out
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informal to lose one's temper
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seeking out entertainments and amusements
town
More Idioms
Synonym Usage
See community.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of town
First recorded before 900; Middle English toun, tun, Old English tūn “walled or fenced place, courtyard, farmstead, village”; cognate with Old Norse tūn “homefield,” German Zaun “fence”; akin to Old Irish dún “citadel, fortress” ( see down 3 ( def. ))
Explanation
A town is an area where people live that's bigger than a village and smaller than a city. A town has a specific boundary, a name, and (usually) its own government. A town is essentially a small city. It's got a smaller population and usually has fewer big apartment buildings and more single-family homes. When something or someone is in town, they are visiting your town: "I'm so excited that the circus is in town!" And if you go out on the town, you take advantage of the nightlife in a town or city.
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.
See Examples For:
It doesn't take long to guess the main industry of the Chinese town of Zheng'an.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
Murat Senkul, the mayor of the coastal town of Kyrenia, told broadcaster CNN Turk that 159 of those aboard had been reached.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
An AFP correspondent saw workers digging dozens more graves on Sunday in a forest clearing on the outskirts of the town.
From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026
The town, founded in 1911 by Danish immigrants, is picturesque, with pastry shops and windmills.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
The doctor offers Phineas $1,000 for the pocketful of pebbles that Phineas has collected walking along the Black River near town.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
Town halls are usually a big part of company culture, but he hasn’t heard of any happening yet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
“The numbers are definitely wrong,” said Jose Centeno, another Pearblossom Town Council member.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
He is line to make his debut in the Carabao Cup against Luton Town on Thursday night.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Shane Bothwell, 39, is director of operations for Old Town Junction, a restaurant and bar right across the street from the fire.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
Captain Smith delivers his message: Will the great chief come to James Town to receive his gifts from King James?
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
Lawmakers are now trying to restrict the technology, while a number of towns have said they would stop using the cameras.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
“Sterling Point,” which is set on a fictional Muskoka island with that name, was filmed on Lake Muskoka, Lake Rosseau and Lake Joseph, near the towns of Bala and Port Carling.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Pigeon Forge, Tenn., like many regional gems, thrives from its proximity to nearby towns but is a haul and a half to get to from Los Angeles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
"They liberated many Syrian cities and towns, first from the Baathist regime, then from the terrorism of Daesh," he continued, using the Arabic acronym for IS.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
The mountain was surrounded by forests, with just a few towns dotting the valley.
From "I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980" by Lauren Tarshis
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.
