megalopolises
Colossal connected city-regions
Megalopolises is the plural of megalopolis, a very large urban region formed when multiple cities and their suburbs grow together into a continuous metropolitan area.
The term often describes corridors like the stretch from Boston to Washington, D.C.: The megalopolises of the Eastern Seaboard house tens of millions.
The Greek roots mean "great city."
Filled beyond capacity
- congestedBlocked by overcrowding
- teemingAbundantly full of
- packedFilled to capacity
- bustlingFull of energetic activity
populous · dense · swarming · concentrated · vertical · high-rise · cramped · gridlocked
Extremely tall urban buildings
- subwayUnderground transit passage
- highriseMultistory urban building
- transitMovement between places
- highwaysMajor intercity roads
bridges · airports · utilities · sewage · telecommunications · roadways · tunnels · ports
Merged continuous urban area
- metroplexInterconnected urban agglomeration
- expansionIncrease in scope
- urbanizationPopulation shift toward cities
- developmentProgress toward maturity
decentralization · zoning · low-density · leapfrogging · peripheral · exurbs · overdevelopment · greenfield
Central business district
- boroughsMunicipal administrative districts
- neighborhoodsResidential districts of towns
- suburbsResidential areas outside cities
- outskirtsOuter parts of town
precincts · zones · quarters · wards · enclaves · ghettos · barrios
Of many types
- multiculturalIncluding multiple ethnic traditions
- globalizedMade worldwide in scope
- polyglotOne knowing many languages
- melting-potFusion of diverse cultures
pluralistic · expatriates · transnational · immigrants · diasporas · international · multilingual · cross-cultural
Extremely great in size
- immenseExtremely large in scope
- colossalExtremely large in scale
- enormousExtremely large in scale
- giganticImmensely large in scale
sprawling · massive · expansive · boundless · endless · supercity · continuous · unbroken
Of city government
- mayorElected head of municipality
- councilAdvisory deliberative group
- civicPertaining to community affairs
- planningArranging for future events
ordinances · taxation · services · bureaucracy · administration · commissioners · aldermen · annexation
overcrowded
Filled beyond capacity
bustling · populous · dense · swarming · concentrated · vertical · high-rise · cramped · gridlocked · shoulder-to-shoulder
skyscrapers
Extremely tall urban buildings
highways · bridges · airports · utilities · sewage · telecommunications · roadways · tunnels · ports · interchanges
conurbation
Merged continuous urban area
- metroplexInterconnected urban agglomeration
- expansionIncrease in scope
- urbanizationPopulation shift toward cities
development · decentralization · zoning · low-density · leapfrogging · peripheral · exurbs · overdevelopment · greenfield · peri-urban
downtown
Central business district
- boroughsMunicipal administrative districts
- neighborhoodsResidential districts of towns
- suburbsResidential areas outside cities
outskirts · precincts · zones · quarters · wards · enclaves · ghettos · barrios
diverse
Of many types
- multiculturalIncluding multiple ethnic traditions
- globalizedMade worldwide in scope
- polyglotOne knowing many languages
melting-pot · pluralistic · expatriates · transnational · immigrants · diasporas · international · multilingual · cross-cultural · heterogeneous
vast
Extremely great in size
gigantic · sprawling · massive · expansive · boundless · endless · supercity · continuous · unbroken
municipal
Of city government
- mayorElected head of municipality
- councilAdvisory deliberative group
- civicPertaining to community affairs
planning · ordinances · taxation · services · bureaucracy · administration · commissioners · aldermen · annexation · incorporation
megalopoliseshamlets
Very small villages
villages · small towns · remote villages · rural communities · outposts
megalopoliseswilderness
Uncultivated, uninhabited natural region
countryside · rural areas · hinterlands · backcountry · outback