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

That willingness is under real pressure right now, from corporate consolidation and threats of censorship at the highest levels of government. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2026

Online conversation in this country has only recently emerged from a period of censorship and blacklisting, often organized by high-minded NGOs in concert with social-media companies. — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026

And moreover, her treatment by British leadership amounts to indirect censorship. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026

In what might be Warner’s only good decision this year, the studio is atoning for its censorship sins by releasing a 4K restoration of the director’s original cut across cinemas. — Juan A. Ramírez, Vulture, 20 Oct. 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