inner city

noun

: the usually older, poorer, and more densely populated central section of a city
inner-city adjective

Examples of inner city in a Sentence

The mayor is trying to attract new businesses to the inner city.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As the process progresses, the system experiences a successive reduction in inner city responses up to and including the end of the summoning process: who physically shows up at court to serve. Harry Weller, Hartford Courant, 2 Jan. 2025 Bob Parsons Net Worth: $3.9 billion Parsons grew up poor in inner city Baltimore. Monica Hunter-Hart, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024 Suburbs and prosperous urban areas have moved more to Democrats, while rural areas and deep inner cities are trending toward Republicans. Tribune News Service, Boston Herald, 15 Oct. 2024 Democrats have the elites (Big tech, Hollywood, media, sports, Wall Street, etc.), and the inner cities. For Carroll County Times, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for inner city 

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inner city was in 1958

Dictionary Entries Near inner city

Cite this Entry

“Inner city.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inner%20city. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

inner city

noun
: the usually older and more heavily populated central section of a city
inner-city adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on inner city

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!