sprawl
CEFR: C1
The rapid, uncoordinated, and low-density geographical spreading of a city's suburbs into surrounding rural land.
Synonyms
- peri-urban expansion
- suburban sprawl
Common Collocations
- urban sprawl
- suburban sprawl
- sprawl across the valley
Example Sentence
Automobile dependency is exacerbated by unchecked urban sprawl, which makes public transit networks economically unviable.