slum

1 of 2

noun

ˈsləm How to pronounce slum (audio)
plural slums
: a densely populated usually urban area marked especially by poverty

slum

2 of 2

verb

slummed; slumming; slums

intransitive verb

: 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
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.
Noun
The project, produced by industry veteran Ivan Wong, centers on a veteran firefighter caught between armed terrorists and Interpol agents during a slum blaze. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 Mar. 2025 Alex Daoud — who was Miami Beach’s mayor as South Beach rose from a beachfront slum to one of the most vibrant destinations in the world before going to federal prison on corruption charges — has died at age 81. — Torrance Latham, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2025
Verb
The Filipino-language thriller follows Dahlia, a disillusioned police aide who steals money from the safe of her corrupt police chief boss, distributing it to slum dwellers whose homes were destroyed. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Mar. 2025 No one had any right to expect much of this new Ocean’s Eleven, which on paper looked like a smug cavalcade of Hollywood royalty slumming their way through an ultra-stylish crime caper. — Tim Grierson, Vulture, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slum

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1825, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of slum was in 1825

Rhymes for slum

See All Rhymes for slum

Browse Nearby Words

sluit
slum
slumber
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slum. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

slum

1 of 2 noun
ˈsləm How to pronounce slum (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on slum

Nglish: Translation of slum for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about slum

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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