urbanize

/ˈɜrbənaɪz/
verb
  1. To make an area more like a city by building houses, roads, and other infrastructure, often causing the population to grow.
    • The government plans to urbanize the rural region by building new schools and hospitals.
    • As the town urbanized, many farms were replaced with apartment buildings and shopping centers.
    • Developers want to urbanize the coastline, but environmentalists worry about the impact on wildlife.
  2. To cause a population or society to adopt the characteristics of city life, such as different jobs, lifestyles, or cultural habits.
    • As more people moved to the city, their traditional customs began to urbanize and change.
    • Moving to the capital helped urbanize their family, as they quickly adapted to the fast pace of city living.
    • The influx of technology and media has helped urbanize even remote villages.
Antonyms