Definition of racismnext
1
as in segregation
the belief that certain races of people are by birth and nature superior to others Hitler's declaration of his belief in a "master race" provided irrefutable proof to the world of the inherent and dangerous racism of the Nazi movement

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2
as in prejudice
hatred of or discrimination against a person or persons based on their race the 1963 bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, was one of the most deplorable incidents of racism that occurred during the civil rights movement of the 1960s

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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.
Recent Examples of racism Cook’s broader economic research on inequality, innovation, and racism’s effect on invention brings policy relevance that might otherwise go overlooked. Kori Hale, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025 In his remarks, Biden praised Till-Mobley for her courage in ensuring the world would see racism's horrors in her son's maimed body. Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 25 July 2023 Sometimes the evidence of racism’s history is right underfoot. USA Today, 17 Aug. 2020 The book made theorizing about genetic differences between the races acceptable among certain corners of the mainstream right, paving the way for scientific racism’s resurgence in the Trump era. Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018 See All Example Sentences for racism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for racism
Noun
  • Kansas was one of 21 states with school segregation.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 May 2026
  • In the Jazz Age, the culture and the style that Bradley was soaking up every night were information that white performers craved, but which racial segregation impeded them from accessing.
    Brian Seibert, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • Fully invested in its protagonist without blandly cheerleading for her, Bourgeois-Tacquet’s script is sharply attuned both to the everyday prejudice faced by women like Gabrielle, and the ways in which such sexism can be overcorrected.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 13 May 2026
  • The Court held that this evidence went far beyond what was necessary and gave rise to unfair prejudice.
    Peter D'Abrosca , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026

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“Racism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/racism. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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