gentrified
Americanadjective
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very or excessively refined or elegant.
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subjected to gentrification.
Etymology
Origin of gentrified
Explanation
A gentrified neighborhood has transformed from being a poor, working-class area to one where wealthier people live. There are usually many places to buy a latte in a gentrified neighborhood, but very few minority-owned businesses. If an area is gentrified, it's gone through a transition. From a neighborhood that was inhabited by working-class and poor residents, often people of color, it's become wealthier and (usually) whiter. The buildings in a gentrified neighborhood may look tidier, with fixed-up homes and brand new businesses, but many of the people who were there for their whole lives can no longer afford to live there. Gentrified is rooted in gentry, "nobility," or "upper-middle class."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the gentrified Alberta Arts District, residents called Trump's claims about Portland laughable, and praised the city for its culture and friendly vibes.
From BBC • Oct. 7, 2025
He is concerned that individuals buying homes for a $1 may lead to areas being gentrified, which results in general rent levels being “jacked up” and people on lower incomes being “pushed out”.
From BBC • Oct. 6, 2024
Making his feature debut, director Rodrigo García Sáiz captures the collective melancholy of the chaotic and drenched metropolis, which differs from the pristinely gentrified, digital nomad-paradise that some Americans have made it out to be.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2024
“The Western markets did not democratize EVs. They gentrified EVs,” said Bill Russo, the founder of the Automobility Ltd. consultancy in Shanghai.
From Seattle Times • May 12, 2024
This is the Mission District, a gentrified hotbed of sushi, tapas, hip Mexican restaurants, and upscale furniture stores.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
