Synonyms of plazanext
1
a
: a public square in a city or town
b
: an open area usually located near urban buildings and often featuring walkways, trees and shrubs, places to sit, and sometimes shops
2
: a place on a thoroughfare (such as a turnpike) at which all traffic must temporarily stop (as to pay tolls)
3
: an area adjacent to an expressway which has service facilities (such as a restaurant, gas station, and restrooms)
4

Examples of plaza in a Sentence

They put his statue in the town's plaza.
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.
Many residents that spoke out at Tuesday’s public hearing agreed that the plaza needs a revitalization of sorts, but not at the expense of pushing the 14 existing businesses out. — Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 La Carreta is located in a shopping plaza on West 16th Avenue, with dozens of parking spaces available to visitors. — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026 On the last Friday of every month, MAMM stays open late for visitors to explore before settling in for a free outdoor film screening at the plaza in front of the museum. — Nikkita Nair, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026 Cornell students, professors and others thronged a campus plaza Monday to protest the university’s response to the matter. — Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for plaza

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Latin platea broad street — more at place

First Known Use

1683, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of plaza was in 1683

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Cite this Entry

“Plaza.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plaza. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

: a public square in a city or town

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