Bicycles are tools for urban sustainability.
Source: tatoeba (1734)
Urban
/ˈɜːb(ə)n/
Synonyms for "urban" (123 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (25)
Adjective(3 words)
Noun(21 words)
big citybogotacapitalcapital bcapital region developmentchicagocitycity chartercity districtcity ecology datacity economycity governance approachcity hall postcity hospitalcity leadershipcity librarycity migrationcity plancity plannercity planning guidelines
Show 1 more word
city policy
Strong matches (37)
Noun(17 words)
Adjective(18 words)
city-basedcity-ecologicalciviccivic associationscivic education topicscivic frameworkcivic framework guidelinescivic infrastructurecivic institutionscivic knowledge goalscivic monumentcivic numberingcivic project updatecivic projectscivic structurecosmopolitanmayoral dutiesmayoral elections
Related words (61)
Noun(22 words)
metromidtownmore civicmore mayoralmore municipalmost civicmost civilmunicipal administrationmunicipal corporationmunicipal managementmunicipal powermuskogeenagpurnewcastlenycpetrogradphiladelphiaromanian capitalăstreetstreet scene
Show 2 more words
urban studiesurbanizing
Adjective(31 words)
metropolitanmetropolitan centermetropolitan fashionmetropolitan lifestylemetropolitan museummetropolitan planningmetropolitan rulemetropolitan societymetropolitan sociologymunicipalmunicipal authoritymunicipal budgetmunicipal budgetsmunicipal chartermunicipal councilmunicipal courtsmunicipal gardenmunicipal governancemunicipal governmentmunicipal governments
Show 11 more words
municipal hospitalmunicipal outcomesmunicipal planmunicipal servicesmunicipal stylingmunicipal water systemnicenetownyurban environmental systemsurbanisticurbanizing region
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: agglomerated, big city, bogota, capital, capital b.
- Sentence evidence is available for urban, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, opengloss.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "urban".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "urban"
Keep "urban" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "urban" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "urban", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "urban" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
2 entriesdescriptive termgeographic term
More specific
4 entriesurban areaurban centerurban districturban life
Collocations
6 entriesurban areaurban densityurban developmenturban growthurban lifeurban planning
Inflections
2 entriesmore urbanmost urban
Derivations
7 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
7 entriesSample sentences
16 total sentences available.
More and more people are moving to urban areas.
Source: tatoeba (32789)
The urban population in most developing countries is increasing very fast.
Source: tatoeba (33306)
The urban population of America is increasing.
Source: tatoeba (67561)
Showing 4 of 16 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "urban"?
Closest matches include agglomerated, big city, bogota, capital, capital b.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "urban"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.