censorship

noun

cen·​sor·​ship ˈsen(t)-sər-ˌship How to pronounce censorship (audio)
1
a
: the institution, system, or practice of censoring
They oppose government censorship.
b
: the actions or practices of censors
especially : censorial control exercised repressively
censorship that has … permitted a very limited dispersion of facts Philip Wylie
2
: the office, power, or term of a Roman censor
3
: exclusion from consciousness by the psychic censor

Examples of censorship in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In any case, this censorship snafu, though soon sorted out, was not what the occasion called for. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024 There are no specific restrictions on Taiwanese movies playing in mainland China as long as titles receive mainland censorship approval. Patrick Frater, Variety, 5 Mar. 2024 Still, groups including Fight for the Future, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the American Civil Liberties Union say the updates fail to eliminate their concerns of censorship and the ability of children to access important resources online. Lauren Feiner, The Verge, 29 Feb. 2024 The technical censorship is only part of the Egyptian government’s far broader crackdown on independent media and political opponents, which includes physical and legal intimidation. Peter Guest, WIRED, 28 Feb. 2024 End of carousel At issue for the court is whether the First Amendment protects the editorial discretion of large social media platforms or prohibits censorship of unpopular views. Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2024 In Russia, a key question is whether the Kremlin follows Mr. Navalny’s death with a new round of repression and censorship. Anton Troianovski, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2024 Removing Section 230’s protection would open those platforms to enormous, endless liability, which would surely lead to enormous, endless censorship. Aaron MacKey, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2024 The Texas and Florida social media laws One of the cases involves a 2021 Florida law that regulates large social media platforms in an effort to combat claims of censorship. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

censor entry 1 + -ship

First Known Use

circa 1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of censorship was circa 1591

Dictionary Entries Near censorship

Cite this Entry

“Censorship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/censorship. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

censorship

noun
cen·​sor·​ship ˈsen(t)-sər-ˌship How to pronounce censorship (audio)
: the system or practice of censoring

Medical Definition

censorship

noun
cen·​sor·​ship ˈsen(t)-sər-ˌship How to pronounce censorship (audio)
: exclusion from consciousness by the psychic censor

Legal Definition

censorship

noun
cen·​sor·​ship
: the institution, system, or practice of censoring compare freedom of speech, prior restraint
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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