tent city

noun

plural tent cities
: a collection of many tents set up in an area to provide usually temporary shelter (as for people who don't have a permanent place of residence)
Tent cities of displaced homeowners have sprung up …Matt Woolsey
Anti-sweatshop protesters at FSU pitched a tent city last March to demand that the school join the Workers Rights Consortium …Meline Toumani et al.

Examples of tent city in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Trump administration has rapidly built a tent city on base with more than 60 soft-sided structures, seen in photos distributed by the Department of Homeland Security. Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025 Ramirez has been at hotel since the city last month shut down tent city and started efforts to level and clear the site. Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2025 The sheer immensity of the tent city is jaw-dropping, a hinterland oblivion of yurts and RVs, all stretching into the distance as far as the eye can see. Barrett Swanson, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025 Columbia became the epicenter for pro-Palestinian protests last spring when a pro-Palestinian encampment launched a wave of copycat tent cities across American college campuses. Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tent city

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tent city was in 1838

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Cite this Entry

“Tent city.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tent%20city. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

tent city

noun
: a group of many tents set up to provide usually temporary shelter (as for displaced or homeless people)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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