Black Lives Matter

noun

: a movement founded in 2013 to end white supremacy and support Black communities

Note: Black Lives Matter was founded by Black community organizers Patrisse Khan-Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi after George Zimmerman was acquitted of charges relating to his fatal shooting of Black teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012; the movement expanded as people reacted to police killings of unarmed Black people in years following. The name Black Lives Matter functions as a declaration that Black people's lives have as much value as white people's lives, and as a call to end systems and practices that challenge this fact.

abbreviation BLM

Examples of Black Lives Matter in a Sentence

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.
During the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, Crowe-Allbritton was also on the front lines of efforts encouraging students to speak out against racial injustice, according to his obituary. Zaire Breedlove, Charlotte Observer, 22 June 2026 His office pointed to the league’s past permission of social justice messaging in 2020 when Black Lives Matter saw nationwide support following the death of George Floyd. David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 19 June 2026 Particularly with pro-Black Lives Matter messages during the 2020 season. Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026 Attending college during the Black Lives Matter protests, this audacious young man sent letters to his friends and family, encouraging us to become allies in the fight for equality and justice. Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for Black Lives Matter

Word History

First Known Use

2014, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Black Lives Matter was in 2014

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Cite this Entry

“Black Lives Matter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Black%20Lives%20Matter. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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