censor

1 of 2

noun

cen·​sor ˈsen(t)-sər 

1

: a person who supervises conduct and morals: such as

a

: an official who examines materials (such as publications or films) for objectionable matter

Government censors deleted all references to the protest.

b

: an official (as in time of war) who reads communications (such as letters) and deletes material considered sensitive or harmful

2

: one of two magistrates of early Rome acting as census takers, assessors, and inspectors of morals and conduct

Cato the Censor accused Africanus and his senior officers of running an army riddled with moral laxity

—Colleen McCullough

3

: a hypothetical psychic agency that represses unacceptable notions before they reach consciousness

censorial

sen-ˈsȯr-ē-əl 

adjective

censor

2 of 2

verb

censored; censoring ˈsen(t)-sə-riŋ 

ˈsen(t)s-riŋ

transitive verb

: to examine in order to suppress (see suppress sense 2) or delete anything considered objectionable

censor the news

also : to suppress or delete as objectionable

censor out indecent passages

Synonyms

Verb

• edit
• shorten
• delete
• bowdlerize
• expurgate
• review
• launder

Examples of censor in a Sentence

Noun

Government censors deleted all references to the protest.

Verb

The station censored her speech before broadcasting it.

His report was heavily censored.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

West coast viewers, however, reported that the audio went silent in those two instances, with censors apparently having more of a tape delay for that feed. —Chris Willman, Variety, 19 Oct. 2025

As Sabrina Carpenter pulled double duty on this weekend’s Saturday Night Live, the show’s censor couldn’t quite keep up. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2025

Verb

There’s community education if the state is going to censor your education. —Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025

Don’t censor yourself to avoid making a stir. —Usa Today, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Latin cēnsor "Roman magistrate tasked with registering citizens, removing persons from the register whose conduct was found wanting, and leasing public contracts," from cēnsēre "to give as an opinion, assess, appraise, perform the duties of a censor" (going back to an Indo-European verbal base *ḱems- "announce, evaluate publicly," whence Sanskrit śaṁati "declares solemnly, praises," Avestan sənghaitī "announces, names") + -tor, agent suffix

Verb

derivative of censor entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1882, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for censor

• censer
• denser
• fencer
• sensor
• tensor
• biosensor
• condenser
• dispenser
• extensor

Kids Definition

censor

1 of 2 noun

cen·​sor ˈsen(t)-sər 

: an official who checks materials (as publications or movies) to take out things thought to be objectionable

censor

2 of 2 verb

censored; censoring ˈsen(t)s-(ə-)riŋ 

: to examine in order to prevent publication or take out things thought to be objectionable

also : to delete things thought to be objectionable

Medical Definition

censor

noun

cen·​sor ˈsen(t)-sər 

: a hypothetical psychic agency that represses unacceptable notions before they reach consciousness

censorial

sen-ˈsōr-ē-əl, -ˈsȯr- 

adjective

Legal Definition

censor

1 of 2 transitive verb

cen·​sor

: to examine (as a publication or film) in order to suppress or delete any contents considered objectionable

censor

2 of 2 noun

: one that censors