What does "slum" mean?
A dilapidated neighborhood where many people live in a state of poverty.
Slum
/slʌm/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A dilapidated neighborhood where many people live in a state of poverty.
- Grammar: slum is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: ghetto, shantytown, augean stables, bad part of town.
- Useful contrasts: affluent area, improve, luxury district.
- Usage evidence: The movie is a harrowing depiction of life in an urban slum.
How to use "slum"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "slum" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "slum" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "slum" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "slum" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "slum" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ghetto" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "slum", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A dilapidated neighborhood where many people live in a state of poverty. countable, derogatory
"Go to the half built-upon slums behind Battlebridge […] you will find groups of boys […] squatting in the mud, among the rubbish, the broken bricks, the dust-heaps, and the fragments of timber […]"
- 2 Slumgullion; a meat-based stew. slang, uncountable
- 3 Nonsense; humbug. UK, obsolete, slang, uncountable
"And this, without more slum began, / Over a flowing pot-house can, / To settle, without botheration, / The rigs of this here tip-top nation."
- 4 a district of a city marked by poverty and inferior living conditions wordnet
- 5 Inexpensive trinkets awarded as prizes in a carnival game. slang, uncountable
"The lower the price of slum the better it is for the operator who can either give more of it out or build up the size of his big prizes. It is the big prizes that bring the play, even though the winner has to be satisfied with a piece of slum for his efforts."
Verb
- 1 To visit a neighborhood of a status below one's own. intransitive
"When you meet the girl who wouldn't et cetera you will tell her that you are slumming, visiting your own six A.M. Lower East Side of the soul on a lark, stepping nimbly between the piles of garbage to the gay marimba rhythms in your head."
- 2 spend time at a lower socio-economic level than one's own, motivated by curiosity or desire for adventure; usage considered condescending and insensitive wordnet
- 3 To saunter about in a disreputable manner. UK, dated, intransitive, slang
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The movie is a harrowing depiction of life in an urban slum."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "slum"?
Common synonyms include: ghetto, shantytown, augean stables, bad part of town, barrio, barrio.
How do you use "slum" in a sentence?
The movie is a harrowing depiction of life in an urban slum.
How do you pronounce "slum"?
Pronounced /slʌm/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
First attested in 1812. originally slang, in the sense "room", especially "backroom", of unknown origin.
Etymology 2
See slumgullion.