as in citizen
a person who lives in a town on a permanent basis
thousands of townsmen turned out to vote on the school budget
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of townsman
Every year, villagers in Brittany gathered to have their sins forgiven, dance the gavotte, and watch the young townsmen wrestle after denouncing the devil.
—
Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 11 July 2025
According to respective Instagram posts from his show co-star Melissa Gilbert and son Clint Lilley, Lilley died Wednesday after a storied career as a Hollywood stuntman and actor, who played various roles on the beloved '70s historical drama, including a townsman and stagecoach driver.
—Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
The townsmen feared his razor-sharp teeth, lightning speed, and quick temper.
—Maeve Dunigan, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024
Whereas most of the townsmen had a stronger right upper arm bone than the left—suggesting difficult physical labor—some men buried on the hospital grounds had symmetrical arm bones, and their skeletal remains suggested a relatively long and healthy life.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023
From the Wizard of Oz, the company sold two costume pieces that will now live at the Wizard of Oz Museum in Cape Canaveral, Florida: a prototype of the blue-and-white gingham dress Dorothy wore while visiting the Wizard for $125,000 and a jacket worn by a townsman in the Emerald City for $37,500.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Dec. 2022
Mountaineers and townsmen of eastern Tennessee cam in hundreds to pack the auditorium.
—sandiegouniontribune.com, 11 July 2018
Our esteemed fellow-townsman Dr. Arnold is making a tour of Boise County on professional business.
—Arthur Hart, idahostatesman, 2 Mar. 2018
For decades after Jenkins-Davis' murder, there were no arrests in the case, and that created suspicion that Martinsville police were protecting a townsman.
—Will Higgins, Indianapolis Star, 2 Nov. 2017
Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 11 July 2025
According to respective Instagram posts from his show co-star Melissa Gilbert and son Clint Lilley, Lilley died Wednesday after a storied career as a Hollywood stuntman and actor, who played various roles on the beloved '70s historical drama, including a townsman and stagecoach driver.
—Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
The townsmen feared his razor-sharp teeth, lightning speed, and quick temper.
—Maeve Dunigan, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024
Whereas most of the townsmen had a stronger right upper arm bone than the left—suggesting difficult physical labor—some men buried on the hospital grounds had symmetrical arm bones, and their skeletal remains suggested a relatively long and healthy life.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023
From the Wizard of Oz, the company sold two costume pieces that will now live at the Wizard of Oz Museum in Cape Canaveral, Florida: a prototype of the blue-and-white gingham dress Dorothy wore while visiting the Wizard for $125,000 and a jacket worn by a townsman in the Emerald City for $37,500.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Dec. 2022
Mountaineers and townsmen of eastern Tennessee cam in hundreds to pack the auditorium.
—sandiegouniontribune.com, 11 July 2018
Our esteemed fellow-townsman Dr. Arnold is making a tour of Boise County on professional business.
—Arthur Hart, idahostatesman, 2 Mar. 2018
For decades after Jenkins-Davis' murder, there were no arrests in the case, and that created suspicion that Martinsville police were protecting a townsman.
—Will Higgins, Indianapolis Star, 2 Nov. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for townsman
Noun
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For context, in 2024, the U.S. spent roughly $3,000 per citizen on national defense, more than four times what most European nations spent, according to an article from Barron’s.—
Steven Dudash,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
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People of Wekiwa Springs citizen advocacy and engagement group: 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month, Wekiwa Springs Baptist Church, 584 N. Wekiwa Springs Road, Apopka, free, wekiwa-springs.com.—
Joe Rassel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 July 2025
Noun
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The organization reports that more than 80 local villagers, largely Christians, have been killed in other attacks in just this month of July alone.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
31 July 2025
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Videos from Oddar Meanchey on Thursday showed villagers fleeing in the dead of night, packing their belongings into vehicles and sleeping under tarps.—
Kocha Olarn,
CNN Money,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Townsman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/townsman. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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