urban
gb/ˈɚbən/ us/ˈɚbən/
B1
English
~ 1800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
Relating to a city or town
About a city or the life in a city.
Usage pattern:
[something] is urban
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'urban' with 'urbane', but 'urbane' means polite and refined, not related to cities.
Synonyms
metropolitan (Often used for very large cities or the surrounding region, sometimes more formal.)
Antonyms
rural (Describes areas in the countryside, away from cities.)
Collocations
urban area
|urban development
|urban lifestyle
|urban environment
|urban planning
Themes
geography
|society
|lifestyle
|daily_life
|space
Examples
- Urban areas often have better public transportation than rural ones.
- The city council is working on new urban development projects.
- Urban lifestyles can be fast-paced and stressful.
- Many young people move to urban centers for job opportunities.
- Urban planning requires balancing housing, transport, and green spaces.
Learner examples
- I live in an urban area.
- Urban life is very busy.
- The park is in an urban part of the city.
- Urban housing is often expensive.
- He studies urban design.
adjective
informal
B2
property
2
Relating to modern city culture
Connected with modern life in cities, especially music, clothes, and style.
Usage pattern:
[something] is urban
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with the general 'city-related' sense; here the focus is on cultural aspects.
Synonyms
street (Informal; often refers to style or culture from inner-city communities.)
Antonyms
traditional (Refers to older, established cultural forms rather than modern urban trends.)
Collocations
urban culture
|urban music
|urban fashion
|urban art
Themes
culture
|music
|fashion
|arts_entertainment
|daily_life
Examples
- The festival celebrates urban music and street art.
- She’s a designer known for her bold urban fashion.
- Urban culture has influenced mainstream entertainment worldwide.
- The gallery focuses on urban photography.
- He teaches a class on urban dance styles.
Learner examples
- I like urban music.
- She wears urban clothes.
- Urban art is colorful.
- He dances to urban songs.
- Urban style is popular.
Grammar
Dictionary form
urban
IPA
GB/ˈɚbən/
US/ˈɚbən/
Syllables & stress
urb - an (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (urb)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: urban
Word family
Expressions
urban area
1/ˈɚbən ˈɛɹiə/
fixed phrase
A region inside a city or town
A part of land that is inside a city or town.
Examples
- More than half the population lives in urban areas.
- Urban areas often face traffic problems.
urban development
1/ˈɚbən dɪvˈɛləpmənt/
fixed phrase
Building and improving city spaces
The work of making new buildings and roads in cities or towns.
Examples
- The government invested heavily in urban development projects.
- Urban development can sometimes lead to gentrification.
urban lifestyle
1/ˈɚbən lˈaɪfstˌaɪl/
fixed phrase
Way of living in a city
The usual way people live in cities, including daily activities and habits.
Examples
- An urban lifestyle can be exciting but stressful.
- Many young professionals enjoy the urban lifestyle.
urban planning
1/ˈɚbən plˈænɪŋ/
fixed phrase
technical
Design of city land use and services
The job of deciding how to use land in a city for buildings, roads, and parks.
Examples
- Urban planning ensures that cities grow in an organized way.
- She studied urban planning at university.
urban legend
1/ˈɚbən lˈɛd͡ʒənd/
fixed phrase
False modern story widely told
A story many people tell that is not true, usually about strange or scary things in modern life.
Examples
- The story about alligators in sewers is just an urban legend.
- There's an urban legend about alligators living in New York sewers.
- He told me an urban legend about a haunted hotel.
- The tale of the haunted hotel is just an urban legend.