completely different city

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "completely different city" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to emphasize that one city is entirely unlike another in various aspects, such as culture, geography, or atmosphere. Example: "After living in New York for years, moving to a small town felt like stepping into a completely different city."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

"It's a completely different city".

The New York Times

It's almost like we're visiting a completely different city from the one we grew up in.

The Guardian

Returning to Beijing during the Apec week was like arriving in a completely different city.

The Guardian

It was a completely different city, where one could meet old people and children played in the courtyards".

The New York Times

The Kabul to which he moved with his family in the late 1960's was a completely different city from the one he fled this week.

The New York Times

On leaving what was one of the last Gaddafi strongholds, he wrote: "We drove out of the hotel compound into a completely different city than the one we had seen seven days earlier".

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Separated by as little as a city block, the new Detroit and the rest of Detroit feel like two completely different cities – physically close, far apart in everything else: education, income, outlook on their future.

The Guardian

Their $125 million project, they say, is completely different from the city's two existing malls.

The New York Times

For one, our driving culture is completely different and our cities don't look like cities in the U.S. or Asia.

TechCrunch

Its performers are diverse in age, nationality and training, and outside performers join in for particular projects – most unusually, the 65 babies for Christine de Smedt's 9x9 in Rotterdam (the piece was performed with completely different casts in different cities between 2000 and 2005), even 14 dogs for Platel's Wolf (2003).

The Guardian

"If they were going to break policing up, do it in a completely different way, small cities and small towns, perfect.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "completely different city", ensure the context clearly establishes what the comparison is being made to. This adds clarity and impact to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "completely different city" as a mere exaggeration. Reserve it for situations where the differences are genuinely significant and impactful, not just slightly different.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "completely different city" functions as a descriptive phrase, where "completely different" is an adjectival modifier describing the noun "city". Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

34%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "completely different city" is a grammatically sound and understandable expression used to highlight a significant change or contrast between two states of a city. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its correctness and usability in written English. While not extremely common, its usage is prevalent in news and media, where it serves to emphasize transformation or stark differences. Alternatives like "totally distinct metropolis" or "radically transformed city" can provide nuanced variations, depending on the desired emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

totally distinct metropolis

Replaces "completely different" with "totally distinct" and "city" with "metropolis", emphasizing the distinctiveness and urban nature.

entirely dissimilar urban area

Substitutes "completely different" with "entirely dissimilar" and "city" with "urban area", highlighting the dissimilarity and geographical aspect.

another city altogether

Suggests that one city is an entirely different entity from the other.

radically transformed city

Focuses on the transformation aspect, suggesting the city has undergone significant changes.

unrecognizably altered city

Emphasizes the degree of change, implying the city is difficult to recognize.

virtually unrecognizable city

Like "unrecognizably altered city", emphasizes that the city has been radically transformed and it is difficult to tell it is the same city after the change.

a city bearing no resemblance

Emphasizes lack of similarity between two cities.

a world apart from the city

Highlights the significant differences, implying two entirely different experiences.

a city of stark contrast

Emphasizes the high degree of difference between the cities.

a transformed urban landscape

Highlights the change and focuses on the urban environment.

FAQs

How can I use "completely different city" in a sentence?

You can use "completely different city" to describe a place that has changed drastically over time or to contrast two cities with vastly different characteristics. For example, "Returning after 20 years, it felt like stepping into a "completely different city"".

What's a less common way to say "completely different city"?

Alternatives to "completely different city" include "totally distinct metropolis" or "entirely dissimilar urban area". These options add nuance and sophistication to your writing.

Is it always necessary to specify what a city is different from when using "completely different city"?

While not always grammatically required, specifying the point of comparison makes your writing clearer and more impactful. For example, instead of saying "It's a completely different city", say "It's a completely different city compared to what it was 10 years ago".

What makes "completely different city" more effective than simply saying "different city"?

The word "completely" emphasizes the magnitude of the differences. It suggests a more profound transformation or contrast than simply stating that two cities are "different".