censorship

noun

cen·​sor·​ship ˈsen(t)-sər-ˌship 

1

a

: the institution, system, or practice of censoring

They oppose government censorship.

b

: the actions or practices of censors

especially : censorial control exercised repressively

censorship that has … permitted a very limited dispersion of facts

—Philip Wylie

2

: the office, power, or term of a Roman censor

3

: exclusion from consciousness by the psychic censor

Examples of censorship in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Traditional forms of ideological control relied on overt mechanisms—censorship, propaganda, repression. —Kate Crawford, WIRED, 23 Dec. 2024

The year’s mounting censorship controversies ultimately—and inevitably—created a crisis of faith at these institutions, which purportedly exist as repositories of history. —Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 23 Dec. 2024

Fight against internet censorship There's a myriad of reasons, ranging from political to economic, that countries use to justify censoring certain apps and websites. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 21 Dec. 2024

As literary culture faces threats from censorship to competition for people's attention, Bookleggers Library, Miami's first and only free bookstore, remains focused on keeping books and bookstores alive. —Sommer Brugal, Axios, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

censor entry 1 + -ship

First Known Use

circa 1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing censorship

• anti-censorship
• self-censorship

Kids Definition

censorship

noun

cen·​sor·​ship ˈsen(t)-sər-ˌship 

: the system or practice of censoring

Medical Definition

censorship

noun

cen·​sor·​ship ˈsen(t)-sər-ˌship 

: exclusion from consciousness by the psychic censor

Legal Definition

censorship

noun

cen·​sor·​ship

: the institution, system, or practice of censoring compare freedom of speech, prior restraint