plural slums
: a densely populated usually urban area marked especially by poverty
slummed; slumming; slums
: to visit slums especially out of curiosity
broadly
: to go somewhere or do something that might be considered beneath one's station
—sometimes used with it
slumming it in budget hotels
slummer
noun
Examples of slum in a Sentence
Noun
He grew up in the slums of New York.
Verb
He sometimes likes to go slumming in bars around the city.
Recent Examples on the Web
Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 5 Aug. 2025
Think Batman set in the slums of Georgian London; Maximus is a literal Duke by day and vigilante by night, obsessed with avenging the death of his parents.
—American Booksellers Association, USA Today, 25 July 2025
Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 23 July 2025
Some will doubtless feel this career detour is slumming.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for slum
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Noun
The rich-poor gap grew, and Tehran became surrounded by slums full of unemployed young men.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 5 Aug. 2025
Think Batman set in the slums of Georgian London; Maximus is a literal Duke by day and vigilante by night, obsessed with avenging the death of his parents.
—American Booksellers Association, USA Today, 25 July 2025
Verb
New York’s cinephiles will no longer have to slum it at AMC or Regal.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 23 July 2025
Some will doubtless feel this career detour is slumming.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for slum
Cite this Entry
“Slum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slum. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
slum
1 of 2 noun
: a thickly populated section especially of a city marked by crowding, dirty run-down housing, and generally poor living conditions
slum
2 of 2 verb
slummed; slumming
: to visit slums especially out of curiosity
slummer
noun
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