Damascus

American  

[duh-mas-kuhs] / dəˈmæs kəs /

noun

1. a city in and the capital of Syria, in the SW part: reputed to be the oldest continuously existing city in the world.

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Damascus British  

/ -ˈmæs-, dəˈmɑːskəs /

noun

1. Arabic names: Dimashq.   Esh Sham.  the capital of Syria, in the southwest: reputedly the oldest city in the world, having been inhabited continuously since before 2000 _bc Pop: 2 317 000 (2005 est)

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Damascus ¹ Cultural  

1. An ancient city in Syria (and still its capital today). The Apostle Paul, then an official called Saul, was on his way from Jerusalem (see also Jerusalem) to Damascus to arrest Christians (see also Christian). He underwent a dramatic conversion on the road, in which he fell from his horse, saw a dazzling light, and “heard a voice saying unto him, ‘Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? … I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest.’”

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Damascus ² Cultural  

1. Capital of Syria and largest city in the country, located in southwestern Syria; the country's administrative, financial, and communications center.

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Discover More

The “road to Damascus” is an image for a sudden turning point in a person's life.

Inhabited since prehistoric times, Damascus is widely regarded as the world's oldest city.

Example Sentences

The 58-year-old Syrian national, who has not been named and now lives in the UK, has been charged in relation to his time working in the Syrian Air Force Intelligence in Damascus.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026

"To return to Damascus and for her not to be there, that was extremely difficult."

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

As a college student in Damascus, Mrie stumbled into her first democratic protest more out of curiosity than conviction.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

Last month, the government took over the camp from its Kurdish administrators, who had long run it, as Kurdish forces ceded territory and Damascus extended its control across swathes of Syria's northeast.

From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026

Milo was not only the Vice-Shah of Oran, as it turned out, but also the Caliph of Baghdad, the Imam of Damascus, and the Sheik of Araby.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller