McCarthyism
noun
Mc·Car·thy·ism
mə-ˈkär-thē-ˌi-zəm 
also -ˈkär-tē-
: a mid-20th century political attitude characterized chiefly by opposition to elements held to be subversive and by the use of tactics involving personal attacks on individuals by means of widely publicized indiscriminate allegations especially on the basis of unsubstantiated charges
broadly
: defamation of character or reputation through such tactics
Examples of McCarthyism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The proposal was an eerie echo of a practice adopted in 1950, as McCarthyism took hold.
—
Time, 20 Oct. 2025
That these connections were cemented during McCarthyism and the Red Scare — a time when the American way was perceived to be under threat — is no accident, Seaton said.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025
The Palmer Raids gave way to the ACLU, McCarthyism to Edward R. Murrow’s broadcast, COINTELPRO to the Church Committee hearings—each reform born from exposure, not repentance.
—Alexis Coe, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
From the Sedition Act in the 1790s to McCarthyism in the 1950s and the Trump administration’s assault on the First Amendment, government has used its awesome powers to pursue and punish critics.
—Donald Nieman, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2025
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Time, 20 Oct. 2025
That these connections were cemented during McCarthyism and the Red Scare — a time when the American way was perceived to be under threat — is no accident, Seaton said.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025
The Palmer Raids gave way to the ACLU, McCarthyism to Edward R. Murrow’s broadcast, COINTELPRO to the Church Committee hearings—each reform born from exposure, not repentance.
—Alexis Coe, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
From the Sedition Act in the 1790s to McCarthyism in the 1950s and the Trump administration’s assault on the First Amendment, government has used its awesome powers to pursue and punish critics.
—Donald Nieman, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for McCarthyism
Cite this Entry
“McCarthyism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/McCarthyism. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
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