alt-right

noun

ˈȯlt-ˈrīt 

variants or less commonly alt right

: a right-wing, primarily online political movement or grouping based in the U.S. whose members reject mainstream conservative politics and espouse extremist beliefs and policies typically centered on ideas of white nationalism

Welcome to the alt-right. The label blends together straight-up white supremacists, nationalists who think conservatives have sold out to globalization, and nativists who fear immigration will spur civil disarray.

—Dylan Matthews

Rather than concede the moral high ground to the left, the alt right turns the left's moralism on its head and makes it a badge of honor to be called "racist," "homophobic," and "sexist."

—Benjamin Welton

Regardless of who triumphs at the ballot box, the biggest winner of this presidential election may be the alt-right: a sprawling coalition of reactionary conservatives who have lobbied to make the United States more "traditional," more "populist" and more white.

—Jonathon Morgan

—often used before another noun

an alt-right manifesto

Secularism is indeed correlated with greater tolerance of gay marriage and pot legalization. But it's also making America's partisan clashes more brutal. And it has contributed to the rise of … the so-called alt-right movement, whose members see themselves as proponents of white nationalism.

—Peter Beinart

Examples of alt-right in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Washington Post reported last week that Musk had met with Trump last summer to discuss a purchase of Truth Social, the alt-right social media platform Trump owns and exclusively posts on. —William Gavin, Quartz, 18 Mar. 2024

What is clear is that from at least 2017 to 2019, Blevins was an active leader in Identity Evropa, one of the largest among the white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups that collectively made up the alt-right. —Brandy Zadrozny, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024

Related Articles Donald Trump and the alt-right threaten generations of proud American global leadership. —Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2024

But on the second day of class this winter, internet trolls spouting alt-right and transphobic language raided those channels, flooding them with images of gore. —Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2024

Closely identified with the alt-right, this theory sparked the deadly shooting at the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue five years ago, the deadliest single day ever for American Jews, as well as at a Buffalo supermarket last year. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2023

While Pepe, created by the artist Matt Furie, has no inherent link to extremism, he has for years been claimed by alt-right communities, dating back to Donald Trump‘s 2016 presidential campaign. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2023

Selfie with Sam Hyde shirt Last week, Doja Cat posted, then deleted, a photo of herself wearing a shirt showing YouTuber Sam Hyde, who is known for his alt-right leanings. —Daysia Tolentino, NBC News, 12 Oct. 2023

Blogger Seth Simons decried the festival as a bastion of alt-right comedy to Slate and The New Republic in 2019 . —Julie Seabaugh, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2023

Word History

Etymology

short for alternative right

First Known Use

2009, in the meaning defined above