1
as in racism
the belief that certain races of people are by birth and nature superior to others the racialism of some of the nation's founders seems to contradict their professed belief that "all men are created equal"

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2
as in prejudice
hatred of or discrimination against a person or persons based on their race an ugly incident of racialism that campus police are investigating

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Example Sentences

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 racialism This seed of scientific racialism waxed and reached its peaks in the years around 1900, before waning in the 20th century. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 24 Aug. 2011 In our day, he is reviled for his imperialism, racialism, and even his humorously excessive appreciation for a fine cigar. Peter J. Travers, National Review, 7 Dec. 2021 King never seriously entertained the utopian ideas of Black emigration or the romantic racialism of Muhammad’s Black nationalism. Brandon M. Terry, The New York Review of Books, 11 Mar. 2021 Today, certain people talk about racialism, indigenism, and decolonial theories, but beneath these terms hateful and fanatical agitators want a race war. Harrison Stetler, The New Republic, 24 May 2021 Post-racialism is the promise of working to move beyond the perils of the Black condition in America, an achievement of Black acceleration and exceptionalism; when transcending race was aspirational and thought of to be wholly possible. Taylor Renee Aldridge, Harper's BAZAAR, 23 Feb. 2021 Hawley describes Roosevelt as driven by a combination of warrior republicanism and crude racialism, which at times led him to adopt autocratic racial theories and dreams of imperial conquest. Zaid Jilani, Washington Examiner, 31 Dec. 2020 This fusion of racial grievance and post-racialism created a toxic brew, poisonous to the ongoing efforts to contest white supremacy and protective of the invidious status quo that the Voting Rights Act had tried to interrupt. Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, The New Republic, 23 Oct. 2020 Conservatives claimed the report recklessly lumped legitimate politics together with violent threats, and progressives refused to muster a fight with the Obama administration about racist violence during the short reign of post-racialism. Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, The New Republic, 23 Oct. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for racialism
Noun
  • 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
  • But as has often been the case in U.S. history, there are sharp disagreement over racism's persistence and what role the government should have in addressing those issues.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 17 June 2023
Noun
  • Adopt a zero-tolerance approach: Document every incident thoroughly with legal experts and witnesses, distinguishing valid concerns from smear campaigns, false claims or prejudice.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
  • The premium crime show mixes whodunnits with explorations of social issues, including class differences, prejudices, workplace dynamics, and identity.
    Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The only letter that even touched on racial issues was Landis calling for strict segregation in city and county lockups.
    Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Feb. 2025
  • Despite Jim Crow laws, segregation, and racial violence, Black entrepreneurs carved out paths for economic independence and community empowerment.
    Monica Sanders, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Racialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/racialism. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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