antebellum

adjective

an·te·bel·lum ˌan-ti-ˈbe-ləm

: existing before a war

especially : existing before the American Civil War

antebellum houses

the antebellum South

Examples of antebellum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In the antebellum United States, Northerners, and especially northern abolitionists, drew a contrast between (northern) nationalism and (southern) sectionalism. —

Jill Lepore, Foreign Affairs, 5 Feb. 2019 The hometown of the Georgia Bulldogs transforms into a vibrant tapestry of colors during the fall, creating the perfect backdrop for exploring the town’s antebellum architecture. —

Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2024 Witness Donald Trump recently questioning the racial identity of his opponent, Kamala Harris, a race-baiting potshot that dredges up ingrained prejudices against biracial Americans that stretch back to the antebellum South. —

Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2024 Back in the antebellum United States, supporters of slavery fiercely resisted federal projects. —

James Morone, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2018 See all Example Sentences for antebellum

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'antebellum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.