plural HBCUs
: a college or university in the U.S. established before 1964 for African American students : a historically Black college or university
the state's largest HBCU
Note: The term HBCU was created as a federal designation during the 1986 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which expanded federal funding for colleges and universities.
historically Black colleges and universities
Examples of HBCU in a Sentence
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Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 19 June 2026
While some communities fight big tech, this 160-year-old HBCU has put a $400 million data center at the financial heart of an ambitious bid to revitalize its 40-acre Nashville campus.
—Asia Alexander, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
In a full-circle moment, Edwards relaunched the Future Sole competition in 2024 at PLC, opening it to HBCU students who don’t have access to a design program.
—Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Christian Marshall — Sports Christian Marshall is The Star’s HBCU Fellow from Ellicott City, Maryland.
—Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
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Noun
Philadelphia native and Delaware State University sophomore Santino Harwood, along with Lincoln University pitcher Solomon McKinney, have been named to the 2026 HBCU Swingman Classic rosters, the MLB announced Thursday.
—Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 19 June 2026
While some communities fight big tech, this 160-year-old HBCU has put a $400 million data center at the financial heart of an ambitious bid to revitalize its 40-acre Nashville campus.
—Asia Alexander, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
In a full-circle moment, Edwards relaunched the Future Sole competition in 2024 at PLC, opening it to HBCU students who don’t have access to a design program.
—Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Christian Marshall — Sports Christian Marshall is The Star’s HBCU Fellow from Ellicott City, Maryland.
—Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for HBCU
Cite this Entry
“HBCU.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/HBCU. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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