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.
The suburbs have gotten more Democratic, while rural areas and some pockets of deep inner cities have moved toward Republicans. Tribune News Service, Boston Herald, 15 Oct. 2024 The lack of Black male teachers is a big missing piece to the puzzle of improving the inner city educational system. J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 27 Jan. 2025 Helping inner cities Since the 1930s, mortgage lenders had denied predominantly Black city neighborhoods access to financing. Stephen Mihm, The Mercury News, 15 Feb. 2025 In fact, my mother's high school, Eastside, is featured in Lean On Me, the Black film classic that details the true story of Paterson's own Principal Joe Clark, an educator who went to extreme lengths to help improve the test scores and livelihoods of Black students at the inner city school. Dria James, refinery29.com, 12 Feb. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inner city.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inner%20city. Accessed 25 Mar. 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
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