urbanize
verb (used with object)
to make or cause to become urban, as a locality.
urbanizing
-
present participleof urbanize.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
By 1850, more than 8% of the population lived in a top-20 city, driven largely by the urbanizing Northeast.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
The research found that WUI areas are expanding worldwide, especially in rapidly urbanizing regions in Africa.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 16, 2024
The losses, mostly driven by habitat destruction on the rapidly urbanizing continent, could prove catastrophic to ecosystem health.
From National Geographic ● Jan. 4, 2024
It reverberates in the bustle and thrum of the continent’s ballooning cities, their hectic streets jammed with new arrivals, that make Africa the most rapidly urbanizing continent on earth.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 29, 2023
Let us take careful note of the fact that the present urbanizing social structure allows only 0.9 percent of the young to feed the other 99.1 percent prodigal sons.
From Down with the Cities by Nakashima, Tadashi
