conurbation.

A continuous urban area formed as separate towns or cities expand and join.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• industrial conurbation
• expanding conurbation
• major conurbation

On the page

The old towns had become a conurbation, though each still elected its own mayor.

One bus route now crossed the entire conurbation without passing open countryside.

Her childhood map showed gaps that the conurbation had swallowed.

Usage notes

Primary category: setting. Formal geographical term. Unlike a single metropolis, it foregrounds coalescence; adjoining towns may retain separate governments. Plural: conurbations. No other inflection applies to this noun.