red-baiting

noun

red-bait·​ing ˈred-ˌbā-tiŋ How to pronounce red-baiting (audio)
variants often Red-baiting
: the act of attacking or persecuting as a Communist or as communistic

Examples of red-baiting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Advertisement Most notably, in 1958, congressional conservatives pushed to rein in the Warren Court for rulings that challenged and undercut the red-baiting that characterized the era of McCarthyism. Time, 14 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of red-baiting was in 1927

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Red-baiting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red-baiting. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!