Definition of cosmopolisnext
as in city
a thickly settled, highly populated area a sprawling cosmopolis where ambitious people from all over come to make their fortune

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cosmopolis While Istanbul and Cappadocia are more popular with tourists to Turkey, don't miss the chance to explore Izmir, which was once the country's most thriving cosmopolis. Lilit Marcus, CNN, 8 Oct. 2022 Istanbul is a cosmopolis unlike any other—where the remains of former empires, the cultural influences of multi-ethnic communities, and contemporary Turkish identity all exist in delicate harmony. Feride Yalav-Heckeroth, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 June 2022 On the Volga a quasi-capital rose at Sarai, established by Batu around 1250, and grew into a cosmopolis of artisans, farmers, and merchants from as far away as Syria, Egypt, even Greece—so many that a New Sarai was founded upriver. Colin Thubron, The New York Review of Books, 6 July 2021 For decades a symbol of all that was dead and dysfunctional in the ever-expanding cosmopolis, the river is undergoing its own rehabilitation, shedding some of its visible concrete. Alexandra Marshall, WSJ, 14 Aug. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cosmopolis
Noun
  • Located in downtown Las Cruces, this hotel features 203 guest rooms—some offering city or mountain views—adorned in rustic Spanish Colonial decor and local artwork.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Another moment was marked by mourning, as a man was pulled from a building in the same city, lifeless and covered in a white blanket.
    CBS News, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • But despite brownstones, diners, skyscrapers and bridges, this city is no recognizable metropolis — plus, it’s all bathed in a luminous purple glow.
    Pat Saperstein, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Before New York became a sprawling metropolis, its rolling hills, deep valleys, and tidal salt marshes were part of a larger estuarine ecosystem that was home to countless flora and fauna.
    Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 30 July 2026
Noun
  • Thankfully, the lessons from that hasty dash towards the fringes of our towns and cities in the 1990s and early 2000s seem to have been learned.
    Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Read our town-by-town Hudson Valley guide for more recommendations.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cosmopolis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cosmopolis. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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