hate speech
noun
: speech that is intended to insult, offend, or intimidate a person because of some trait (such as race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability)
Examples of hate speech in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sculptor and illustrator Jacques Tilly, who designed the aforementioned float, has been reported to the police for disseminating hate speech and violating the Criminal Code, which prohibits the use of Nazi imagery for purposes not expressly linked to art, scholarship, teaching, or reporting.
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Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 1 Apr. 2026
But Malema was convicted of hate speech for making threats last year, and his party won less than ten per cent of the national vote in the most recent South African election—hardly a ringing endorsement of his ideas.
—Boyce Upholt, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
If hate speech crosses into those areas, the government or police may legally step in.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 13 Mar. 2026
Online hate speech and misinformation have been implicated in fueling atrocities in places like Myanmar, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka.
—Arnaud Kurze, The Conversation, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hate speech
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Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 1 Apr. 2026
But Malema was convicted of hate speech for making threats last year, and his party won less than ten per cent of the national vote in the most recent South African election—hardly a ringing endorsement of his ideas.
—Boyce Upholt, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
If hate speech crosses into those areas, the government or police may legally step in.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 13 Mar. 2026
Online hate speech and misinformation have been implicated in fueling atrocities in places like Myanmar, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka.
—Arnaud Kurze, The Conversation, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hate speech
Cite this Entry
“Hate speech.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hate%20speech. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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