- 1[countable] an area of land that has or used to have its own government and laws European countries leading industrial countries She didn't know what life in a foreign country would be like. It's good to meet people from different parts of the country.
- 2[uncountable] (often following an adjective) an area of land, especially with particular physical features, suitable for a particular purpose or connected with a particular person or people open/wooded, etc. country superb walking country Explore Eudora Welty country. see backcountry
- 3the country [singular] the people of a country; the nation as a whole They have the support of most of the country. The rich benefited from the reforms, not the country as a whole. see mother country, old country, upcountry
- 4the country [singular] any area outside towns and cities, with fields, woods, farms, etc. to live in the country We spent a pleasant day in the country. a country lane Topic CollocationsTown and Countrytown
- live in a city/a town/an urban environment/the suburbs/the (housing) projects/shanty towns/slums/ (informal) a concrete jungle/the ghetto
- live downtown/in the downtown area/uptown/in midtown (Manhattan)
- enjoy/like the hectic pace of life/the hustle and bustle of city life
- cope with the stress/pressures of urban life
- get caught up in the rat race
- prefer/seek the anonymity of life in a big city
- be drawn to/resist the lure of the big city
- head for the bright lights (of the big city/New York)
- enjoy/love the vibrant/lively nightlife
- have/be close to all the amenities
- be surrounded by towering skyscrapers/soulless suburban sprawl
- use/travel by/rely on public transportation
- put up with/get stuck in/sit in massive/huge/heavy/endless/constant traffic jams
- tackle/ease/reduce/relieve/alleviate the heavy/severe (traffic) congestion
- be affected by/choked with/damaged by pollution
- live in a village/the countryside/an isolated area/a rural backwater/ (informal) the sticks/the boondocks
- enjoy/like the relaxed/slower pace of life
- enjoy/love/explore the great outdoors
- look for/find/get/enjoy a little peace and quiet
- need/want to get back/closer to nature
- be surrounded by open/unspoiled/picturesque/peaceful countryside
- escape/quit/get out of/leave the rat race
- seek/achieve a better/healthy work-life balance
- downshift to a less stressful life
- build/seek/start a new life in the country
- pull up stakes and move to/head for…
- create/build/foster a strong sense of community
- depend on/be employed in/work in agriculture
- live off/farm/work the land
- tackle/address the problem of rural/small-town unemployment
- 5[uncountable] = country music pop, folk and country Thesauruscountry
- landscape
- countryside
- terrain
- land
- scenery
- country (often the country) an area that is away from towns and cities, especially one with particular natural, social, or economic features:She lives in the country. Texas is cattle country.
- landscape everything that you can see when you look across a large area of land, especially in the country:Iowa's landscape is mostly flat and grassy.
- countryside land outside towns and cities, with fields, woods, and farms. Countryside is usually used when you are talking about the beauty or peacefulness of a country area:a little town in the Vermont countryside
- terrain (formal) land Terrain is used when you are describing the natural features of an area, for example if it is rough, flat, etc:The truck bumped its way over the rough terrain.
- land (usually the land) an area for farming:He has worked the land for twenty years. My parents grow all their own food and live off the land.
- scenery the natural features of an area, such as mountains, valleys, rivers, and forests, especially when these are attractive to look at:We stopped on the mountain pass to admire the scenery.
- mountainous/wild/rugged country/landscape/countryside/terrain/scenery
- beautiful/glorious/dramatic country/landscape/countryside/scenery
- open country/landscape/countryside/terrain/land
- rolling landscape/countryside
- to protect the landscape/countryside/land
directly across fields, etc.; not by a main road riding across country see cross-country
used as a reply when someone suggests that you should not do something It's a free country; I'll say whatever I want!
- Country is the most usual, neutral word for a geographical area that has or used to have its own central government.
- State usually refers to one of the 50 states of the U.S.:the state of Alabama
- State can also emphasize the political organization of an area under an independent government. It can also mean the government:the member states of the EU The state provides free education. heads of state (= leaders of various nations)
Check pronunciation: country