urbanization

noun

ur·​ban·​i·​za·​tion ˌər-bə-nə-ˈzā-shən 

: the quality or state of being urbanized or the process of becoming urbanized

Did you know?

The word urbanization started appearing in print way back in the 1880s, which says something about the growth of American cities. The expansion of Los Angeles was an early example of uncontrolled urbanization. Urbanization is often seen as a negative trend, with bad effects on quality of life and the environment. But apartments require much less heat than houses, and commuting by mass transit rather than cars can reduce pollution and energy use, and cities offer improved opportunities for jobs (and often for education and housing as well), so city growth doesn't make everyone unhappy.

Examples of urbanization in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Northwest Dade, also heavily agricultural until the recent past, was undergoing urbanization, too, with Miami Lakes, Carol City and Palm Springs leading the way. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2025

Modern borders, government restrictions and urbanization were beginning to encroach on their nomadic ways, and the advent of transistor radios, cars and mobile phones was sending the modern world swooshing in. —Isabel Kershner, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025

Meanwhile, China continued its transition to an urban society, with 10 million more people moving to cities for an urbanization rate of 67%, up almost a percentage point from the previous year. —Christopher Bodeen, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Jan. 2025

The effects of urbanization The county has prided itself on maintaining the overall tree canopy levels between the 2016 and 2020 surveys. —Alyssa Johnson, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above