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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of racism
Not speaking about or not gaining knowledge of racism's existence -- that stunts the progress of equality.
—
S. Mitra Kalita, CNN, 9 July 2020
Emerging data shows that COVID-19 disproportionately affects minority communities, likely due to racism’s downstream effects on socioeconomic opportunities, health outcomes and insurance coverage.
—Isobel Rosenthal, Scientific American, 17 June 2020
Villarosa, a veteran journalist who has covered Black health and wellness for decades, begins her forceful exposure of racism’s toxic effect on the U.S.’s health system by recounting her own personal awakening.
—Julia Schimautz, The Atlantic, 13 Dec. 2022
Barrow asked for a definition of critical race theory, which is the study of racism’s effect on societal structures and is usually taught at the graduate level but has become shorthand to describe progressive ideas about race and gender.
—Tyler Kingkade, NBC News, 17 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for racism
S. Mitra Kalita, CNN, 9 July 2020
Emerging data shows that COVID-19 disproportionately affects minority communities, likely due to racism’s downstream effects on socioeconomic opportunities, health outcomes and insurance coverage.
—Isobel Rosenthal, Scientific American, 17 June 2020
Villarosa, a veteran journalist who has covered Black health and wellness for decades, begins her forceful exposure of racism’s toxic effect on the U.S.’s health system by recounting her own personal awakening.
—Julia Schimautz, The Atlantic, 13 Dec. 2022
Barrow asked for a definition of critical race theory, which is the study of racism’s effect on societal structures and is usually taught at the graduate level but has become shorthand to describe progressive ideas about race and gender.
—Tyler Kingkade, NBC News, 17 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for racism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for racism
Noun
-
At the dawn of the 20th century, African Americans faced lynch mobs, disenfranchisement, and segregation.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
24 May 2025
-
Since the 1890s, Inkwell Beach, part of Oak Bluffs Town Beach, has been a summertime sanctuary for Black families seeking reprieve from segregation and discrimination.—
Mariette Williams,
Essence,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
In a notice of settlement filed last week in US District Court for the Southern District of New York, the parties agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice, with each side to pay its own fees and costs.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2025
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Yet, those who identify as LGBTQ — especially transgender people — are still fighting battles for the right to exist without prejudice.—
Jade Walker,
CNN Money,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Racism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/racism. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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