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Meaning & use

urban landscape

noun·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˌɜːbən ˈlændskeɪp/
US/ˌɜːrbən ˈlændskeɪp/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    The overall look and arrangement of a city or town, including its buildings, streets, parks and open spaces.

    Grammar: Countable but often used with the: the urban landscape of Tokyo.

    Patterns

    • the urban landscape of somewhere

    Cranes and glass towers have changed the urban landscape of the old port.

    Public parks soften the urban landscape for residents.

    The photographer captured the changing urban landscape at dusk.

  2. nounsingularfigurative

    The general situation, culture or mix of activity in a city, used figuratively.

    Grammar: Used with the in articles about business or art: the urban landscape of food.

    Patterns

    • the urban landscape of something

    Food trucks have reshaped the urban landscape for casual dining.

    Street art is now part of the city's urban landscape.

Word forms

pluralurban landscapes

Common combinations

shape the urban landscape
New railways shaped the urban landscape.
transform the urban landscape
Skyscrapers transformed the urban landscape.
changing urban landscape
The book explores a changing urban landscape.
dense urban landscape
The dense urban landscape left little room for gardens.
urban landscape photography
She specializes in urban landscape photography.

Synonyms and how they differ

cityscape
Cityscape focuses on the visual view or skyline, while urban landscape includes layout and character.
skyline
Skyline is only the outline of buildings against the sky, a narrower view than the urban landscape.
built environment
Built environment is a formal planning term for all human-made surroundings, including those in rural areas.
townscape
Townscape is the British word for a view of a smaller town or its architecture.

Opposites

rural landscapecountryside

Word family

urban adjective
relating to a city or town
urbanization noun
the growth of towns and cities
landscape noun
the visible features of an area
cityscape noun
a view of a city

Commonly confused: urban landscape or urbane?

urban landscape vs urbane

Urbane describes a polite, refined person, and has nothing to do with cities as places.

Practice

Rows of new apartment towers have transformed the ____ of the old harbor district.

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