gentrification

noun

gen·​tri·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌjen-trə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

: a process in which a poor area (as of a city) experiences an influx of middle-class or wealthy people who renovate and rebuild homes and businesses and which often results in an increase in property values and the displacement of earlier, usually poorer residents

a neighborhood undergoing gentrification

"This week, we're talking about gentrification. Middle-class people move in. Property values and rents rise. Things change and improve but not for everyone. …"

—Lulu Garcia-Navarro

Opposition is also stoked by fear of gentrification—displacement of longtime residents through higher rents or property taxes.

—Steven Litt

The construction of luxury housing and gentrification of neighborhoods is pushing families out of communities they have called home for years.

—Heidi Romanish and David Snyder

In an effort to keep gentrification from creeping in the same way into the 30th Ward … Jessica Gutierrez wants to keep a lid on property taxes and inform residents about affordable housing.

—Alexandra Arriaga

Examples of gentrification in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Even as gentrification has reshaped the neighborhood, many current students have parents and grandparents who attended Martin, said Eric Ramos, a history teacher who has taught at the school for 11 years. —Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 23 Feb. 2026

Small-business owners gather to discuss the specter of gentrification as their local mall considers mass evictions—a scene that’s provided the same weight as a large Pride march or a dance night at a local bar. —Vikram Murthi, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026

Gibson spent her life advocating for Coconut Grove residents during a time of rapid gentrification and developing nonprofits that advocate for businesswomen and the health and wellness of communities. —Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026

At the same time, football made a conscious push towards gentrification after a period blighted by hooligan issues, and the injection of new income promoted a new world where comfort, safety, tourist-attraction and money-making intentions became priorities. —James McNicholas, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

gentry + -ification

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gentrification

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration