censorship

noun

cen·​sor·​ship ˈsen(t)-sər-ˌship 

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

Iran is an incredibly fascinating country in terms of film, where many independent filmmakers who reject censorship are currently active. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 28 June 2026

The third chapter of my book on anthologies, The Treasuries, is about literary censorship in the early nineteenth century. — Clare Bucknell, The New York Review of Books, 27 June 2026

In 2025, Russia asked that Apple remove 1,213 apps—many of these VPN apps designed to thwart the country’s draconian Internet censorship. — Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026

But entering the region is easier said than done, considering the country’s language barrier, cultural differences and the restriction and censorship of major Western platforms, like Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube. — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 26 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

censor entry 1 + -ship

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing censorship

• anti-censorship
• self-censorship

Rhymes for censorship

• authorship
• battleship
• chairmanship
• chieftainship
• comradeship
• consulship
• craftsmanship
• dealership
• draftsmanship
• fellowship
• fingertip
• internship

Kids Definition

censorship

noun

cen·​sor·​ship ˈsen(t)-sər-ˌship 

: the system or practice of censoring

Medical Definition

censorship

noun

cen·​sor·​ship ˈsen(t)-sər-ˌship 

: 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