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
Lulu Garcia-NavarroOpposition is also stoked by fear of gentrification—displacement of longtime residents through higher rents or property taxes.—Steven Litt
Steven LittThe 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
Heidi Romanish and David SnyderIn 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
Alexandra ArriagaExamples of gentrification in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But when it was first announced, the project was not well-received by some residents, who argued that knocking down five existing apartment complexes to make room for the project could accelerate gentrification.
—Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 14 Feb. 2026
The first movie remains relevant in its tackling of gentrification and the cyclical nature of violence.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
What is lost in the process of gentrification is not just a Black population but Black culture, communities, institutions, and political power.
—Naomi Jackson, Curbed, 11 Feb. 2026
Jones, who represents one of the largest Black communities in the state, said Donalds has to come with a plan to attract Black people and communities affected by gentrification.
—Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
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Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 14 Feb. 2026
The first movie remains relevant in its tackling of gentrification and the cyclical nature of violence.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
What is lost in the process of gentrification is not just a Black population but Black culture, communities, institutions, and political power.
—Naomi Jackson, Curbed, 11 Feb. 2026
Jones, who represents one of the largest Black communities in the state, said Donalds has to come with a plan to attract Black people and communities affected by gentrification.
—Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gentrification
Cite this Entry
“Gentrification.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gentrification. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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