variants
or less commonly favella
: a settlement of jerry-built shacks lying on the outskirts of a Brazilian city
Examples of favela in a Sentence
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The Brazilian native has been wowing fans with his effortless dribbling and tight control since his early days growing up in the favelas of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, to the pitch at Camp Nou in Barcelona.
—
Nasha Smith, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
Brazilian police seized a record 48 tons of marijuana in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, uncovered by chance by a sniffer dog during a regular operation against criminal factions.
—CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Last year, a huge raid against Red Command resulted in more than 120 deaths in Penha and Complexo de Alemao favelas, the most lethal in Rio’s history.
—ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
Official samba schools began forming in the 1930s, bringing the (previously criminalised) dance into the mainstream and celebrating an art form produced by Rio’s favela communities (Afro-Brazilian heritage is still at the heart).
—Laura French, TheWeek, 18 Mar. 2026
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Nasha Smith, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
Brazilian police seized a record 48 tons of marijuana in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, uncovered by chance by a sniffer dog during a regular operation against criminal factions.
—CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Last year, a huge raid against Red Command resulted in more than 120 deaths in Penha and Complexo de Alemao favelas, the most lethal in Rio’s history.
—ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
Official samba schools began forming in the 1930s, bringing the (previously criminalised) dance into the mainstream and celebrating an art form produced by Rio’s favela communities (Afro-Brazilian heritage is still at the heart).
—Laura French, TheWeek, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for favela
Cite this Entry
“Favela.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/favela. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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