gentrify

[ jen-truh-fahy ]

verb (used with object)

, gen·tri·fied, gen·tri·fy·ing.

1. to alter (a deteriorated urban neighborhood) through the buying and renovation of houses and stores by upper- or middle-income families or individuals, raising property values but often displacing low-income families and small businesses.
2. to conform to an upper- or middle-class lifestyle; make appealing to those with more affluent tastes:

   Fish and chips have been gentrified.

verb (used without object)

, gen·tri·fied, gen·tri·fy·ing.

1. to undergo this type of change:

   Some neighborhoods gentrify more quickly than others.

Other Words From

• gentri·fier noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of gentrify¹

First recorded in 1970–75; gentry + -fy

Example Sentences

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

A seven-story boulder on federal land has become a tinderbox of tensions over who gets to enjoy this patch of Mojave Desert, which has rapidly gentrified since the COVID-19 pandemic.

From Los Angeles Times

The veteran lawmaker argues the elevated people mover — once touted as a marquee piece for the 2028 Olympic Games — won’t help those living in the working-class but gentrifying community.

From Los Angeles Times

The gentrifying Reagan years that followed gave rise to archly analytic work addressing institutional power.

From New York Times

“And when you gentrify, you limit the size of the market. China is all about democratizing EVs, and that’s what will ultimately lead Chinese companies to be successful as they go global.”

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• continue
• extend
• prolong
• reaffirm
• reestablish
• reopen
• repeat
• restate
• restore
• resume
• revive