B2nounurbansociety
US/slʌm/
UK/slʌm/
a crowded, poor part of a city where living conditions are bad
In context
Millions of people in the city live in slums without clean water.
The government promised to clear the slum and build new homes nearby.
She grew up in a slum, but she became a doctor.
Words that go with slum
verb + preposition
- live in a slumOver a billion people live in a slum or similar area.
adjective + noun
- urban slumUrban slums grow when housing is too expensive.
verb + noun
- clear a slumThe council decided to clear the slum last year.
noun + noun
- slum dwellerSlum dwellers often lack legal rights to the land.
- slum areaDisease spreads quickly in a slum area.
noun + preposition
- conditions in the slumsConditions in the slums remain harsh.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:
live at a slumCorrect: live in a slum