bigotry

noun

big·​ot·​ry ˈbi-gə-trē 

plural bigotries

1

: obstinate or narrow-minded adherence to one's own opinions and prejudices : the state of mind of a bigot

overcoming his own bigotry

Religious bigotry, then, did not decide this election, and Kennedy became the first Roman Catholic president.

—Mary Beth Norton et al.

2

: acts or beliefs characteristic of a bigot

racial bigotry

will not tolerate bigotry in our organization

Synonyms of bigotry

• intolerance
• prejudice
• sectarianism
• dogmatism
• illiberality
• bias
• narrow-mindedness
• illiberalism
• partisanship
• small-mindedness

Examples of bigotry in a Sentence

a deeply ingrained bigotry prevented her from even considering the counterarguments

Recent Examples on the Web

While fictional, Joel’s compassion and care can’t help but feel like counterprogramming to the cynical everyday horrors of violent deportations, open bigotry from leading politicians, measles outbreaks and the return of whole milk (kidding! —Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 18 Dec. 2025

The real battle here is in turning ourselves away from the lure of bigotry and greed. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025

Inside the Downtown Denver Islamic Center CBS That sense of peace has not been tested lately, but nationwide incidents of bigotry and anti-Islamic sentiment have been on the rise, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations' 2025 Civil Rights Report. —CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025

Hayley Williams is drawing a line in the sand against bigotry in her fanbase. —Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 1 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see bigot

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bigotry

noun

big·​ot·​ry ˈbig-ə-trē 

plural bigotries

1

: the state of mind of a bigot

2

: behavior or beliefs characteristic of a bigot