rural

adjective

ru·​ral ˈru̇r(-ə)l How to pronounce rural (audio)
ˈrər(-ə)l
Synonyms of rural
: of or relating to the country, country people or life, or agriculture
rurality
ru̇-ˈra-lə-tē How to pronounce rural (audio)
noun
rurally
ˈru̇r-ə-lē How to pronounce rural (audio)
ˈrər-
adverb

Synonyms of rural

Relevance
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Examples of rural in a Sentence

She lives in a rural area. grew up in a rural community where more than half the people were farmers
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The fight is taking shape across a remarkably broad battlefield, from Atlanta’s northern suburbs to exurban communities and rural stretches of Georgia where both parties see opportunities. — Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Just about all the infrastructure and services are new and improved in this rural central Washington farming town of 8,500, miles from the Columbia River. — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 The floods also devastated livestock, with large numbers of cattle lost, dealing a blow to rural communities and raising concerns about disease outbreaks. — ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026 Residents in the tiny rural town of Malden, located about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Spokane, had been urged Saturday to evacuate immediately. — Jamie Stengle, Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rural

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin ruralis, from rur-, rus open land — more at room

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rural was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing rural

Rhymes for rural

See All Rhymes for rural

Browse Nearby Words

rupturewort
rural
rural dean
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Cite this Entry

“Rural.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rural. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

rural

adjective
ru·​ral ˈru̇r-əl How to pronounce rural (audio)
: of or relating to the country, country people or life, or agriculture

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