Johnstown

geographical name

Johns·​town ˈjänz-ˌtau̇n How to pronounce Johnstown (audio)
city on the Conemaugh River east of Pittsburgh in southwest central Pennsylvania population 20,978

Note: Johnstown was the site of a catastrophic flood in 1889 when an earthen dam upstream gave way after heavy rain, releasing a wall of water that inundated the city and killed 2209 people.

Dictionary Entries Near Johnstown

Cite this Entry

“Johnstown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Johnstown. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Johnstown

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!