a thickly populated area, usually smaller than a city and larger than a village, having fixed boundaries and certain local powers of government.
a densely populated area of considerable size, as a city or borough.
(especially in New England) a municipal corporation with less elaborate organization and powers than a city.
(in most U.S. states except those of New England) a township.
any urban area, as contrasted with its surrounding countryside.
the inhabitants of a town; townspeople; citizenry.
the particular town or city in mind or referred to.
living on the outskirts of town; to be out of town.
a nearby or neighboring city; the chief town or city in a district.
I am staying at a friend's apartment in town.
the main business or shopping area in a town or city; downtown.
British.
a village or hamlet in which a periodic market or fair is held.
any village or hamlet.
Scot. a farmstead.
go to town,
to be successful.
to do well, efficiently, or speedily.
The engineers really went to town on those plans.
to lose restraint or inhibition; overindulge.
paint the town. paint.
on the town,
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.
supported by the public charity of the state or community; on relief.
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
( as modifier )
town life
a city, borough, or other urban area
(in the US) a territorial unit of local government that is smaller than a county; township
the nearest town or commercial district
London or the chief city of an area
the inhabitants of a town
the permanent residents of a university town as opposed to the university staff and students Compare gown
to make a supreme or unrestricted effort; go all out
informal to lose one's temper
seeking out entertainments and amusements
See community.
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. ))
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.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Two Danish citizens, an American, a Briton and two Australians -- Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones -- died following what media said was a night out on the town in Vang Vieng in November 2024.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
Jones and Bowles were among six foreign tourists who died after consuming free drinks at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in the popular backpacking town of Vang Vieng.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Explaining the city’s importance to employees at an internal town hall earlier this year, Chief Commercial Officer Nat Pieper touted a 20% increase in credit-card signups in Chicago over the previous nine months.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
It comes from Al Bahnasa, the modern town located at the site of ancient Oxyrhynchus in Egypt.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026
Finally Phineas takes a job plowing for a farmer near the little town of Santa Clara.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
Cape Town, South Africa is a far cry from rural Northern Ireland, but it is where Sophie will spend the next four months preparing for filming.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
"It's something that we see guests actively asking for," agrees Holly Willcocks, owner of Half Cut wine bar in Kentish Town, London.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
An overall winner from these three finalists then will be crowned the UK Town of Culture 2028 and receive a £3 million grant to host cultural events.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
Sir Adrian released a report in April following nine weeks of hearings during the first phase of the inquiry at Liverpool Town Hall.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Out of the roughly five hundred settlers Captain Smith said were in James Town when he left, by spring only sixty settlers remained, all of them close to death.
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
These are the most and least affordable cities and towns in California, based on a Times analysis of income and housing data from the Census.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and other Orange County towns are cracking down on elaborate shade coverings, citing safety issues.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
With the new heatwave, many towns throughout France have cancelled their firework displays, but many are usually set off illegally.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
Meanwhile, in towns where Lindsey Graham grew up and lived, friends and neighbors are mourning the senator who never stopped coming home.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
The battle at the American embassy was one small part of the massive Tet Offensive—that night seventy thousand communist soldiers launched surprise attacks on more than a hundred cities and towns all over South Vietnam.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
