# suburban

/səˈbɝbən/ (US) · /səbˈɜːbən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/suburban
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. location near a city

adjective · CEFR B2

relating to the areas where people live that are just outside a city center.

For teachers: situated in or characteristic of a suburb; relating to the residential outskirts of a metropolitan area.

- They decided to move to a suburban neighborhood to have more space for the children.
- The rapid expansion of suburban developments has led to increased traffic congestion on the main arteries leading into the city center.

### 3. a person

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

a person who lives in a suburb.

For teachers: a resident of a suburb; a person whose lifestyle and values are associated with suburban living.

- The local council held a meeting to hear the concerns of the suburbans regarding the new park.
- As a lifelong suburban, she found the constant noise and frantic pace of the capital city quite overwhelming.

### 4. a type of vehicle

noun · CEFR C1 · American English

a large vehicle, like a truck, that has a long body for carrying many passengers.

For teachers: a large sport utility vehicle or station wagon built on a truck chassis, designed for high passenger and cargo capacity.

- The family loaded their camping gear into the back of the suburban and headed for the mountains.
- The heavy-duty suburban proved essential for transporting the entire research team and their equipment across the rugged terrain.

## Examples

- They moved to a quiet suburban neighborhood to have more space.
- Many families prefer suburban life because it offers a mix of city convenience and quieter residential streets.
- The rapid expansion of suburban developments has led to increased reliance on private vehicles, as public transport networks often struggle to reach these low-density residential zones.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.