as in pastoral
of, relating to, associated with, or typical of open areas with few buildings or people
grew up in a rural community where more than half the people were farmers a painter noted for his rural landscapes
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rural
Only last week, 94-year-old Martin Gordon emailed to tell me how his local priest, in rural Ireland, told him the news.
—
Andy Mitten, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
The Princess of Wales, no stranger to the UK's rainy weather and rural terrain, stepped out late last month in a look that's lesson in how functionality can be transformed into elegance.
—Alex Sales, Glamour, 7 Feb. 2026
More Must-Do Activities The Omni Homestead Resort & Spa is surrounded by the Allegheny Mountains and adjacent to the George Washington National Forest, creating a scenic, rural setting.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
Republicans said that would stave off abuse of the Medicaid program, and added a $50 billion investment in rural health to offset losses.
—Ali Swenson, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rural
Andy Mitten, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
The Princess of Wales, no stranger to the UK's rainy weather and rural terrain, stepped out late last month in a look that's lesson in how functionality can be transformed into elegance.
—Alex Sales, Glamour, 7 Feb. 2026
More Must-Do Activities The Omni Homestead Resort & Spa is surrounded by the Allegheny Mountains and adjacent to the George Washington National Forest, creating a scenic, rural setting.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
Republicans said that would stave off abuse of the Medicaid program, and added a $50 billion investment in rural health to offset losses.
—Ali Swenson, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rural
Adjective
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As Archbishop, Hicks will be in a position to do things differently from the bully pulpit of New York—to carry forward Francis’s pastoral flexibility and identification with people on society’s margins.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
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Editor Martin Ivanov’s empathetic, dreamlike cutting underscores the symbiosis between humans and storks in a pastoral world before it is disrupted by capitalism.—
Alissa Simon,
Variety,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Signs of a shift were apparent when Iam Tongi, a young reggae talent from Hawaii, and proud Mormon, became Idol’s first non-country winner in three years.—
Zach Schonfeld,
Rolling Stone,
25 Dec. 2025
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Save 70% off multi-country tours through Exoticca Travelers looking for deep discounts will find some of the steepest savings at Exoticca, where Travel Tuesday deals offer up to 70% off top global experiences, from cultural deep-dives to scenic, multi-country getaways—all available to book now.—
Paris Wilson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Wilcox’s country loaf, though, is a new Los Angeles bellwether for rustic-style bread.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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Bathrooms use coloured polished concrete in the spirit of São João Batista’s rustic adobe.—
Stephanie Rafanelli,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Set in the bucolic town of Nagi, the film centers on Yoriko, a sculptor living in the shadow of a past love that continues to shape her art.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2026
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The oldest of three kids, Van Der Beek was born on March 8, 1977, in Cheshire, Connecticut, a bucolic town of white picket fences, not unlike Capeside.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rural. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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