affirmative action

noun

: the use of policies, legislation, programs, and procedures to improve the educational or employment opportunities of members of certain demographic groups (such as minority groups, women, and older people) as a remedy to the effects of long-standing discrimination against such groups

Note: Affirmative action gives limited preference to qualified groups (which may include racial and ethnic minorities, women, older people, people with disabilities, and some veterans) in job hiring, admission to institutions of higher education, the awarding of government contracts, and other social benefits.

The term affirmative action was … used in an executive order issued by President Johnson in 1965, which banned all federal contractors and subcontractors, as well as unions involved in federal work, from practicing employment discrimination.

—Michael L. Levine

Unlike previous measures, such as the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965, which prohibited discrimination, the goal of affirmative action was to adopt a proactive approach to redressing past discrimination. It goes beyond the prohibition of overtly racist practices by requiring employers, public contractors, and college admissions officers to cast a wider net in their searches for qualified workers and students through active recruitment of racial minorities.

—Shirley J. Yee et al.

Examples of affirmative action in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Booker noted how Kavanaugh, in his writings and rulings, had opposed affirmative action programs, particularly in higher education, but had supported racial targeting in counter-terrorism efforts and policing. —Ronald Brownstein, Mercury News, 23 Sep. 2025

As an example, Vance called out an essay in The Nation that assails Kirk’s views on women, homosexuality, and affirmative action. —Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 20 Sep. 2025

Students for Fair Admissions, led by Edward Blum, a leading opponent of affirmative action, set up a website this month vowing to challenge Kamehameha’s admissions policy in court. —Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025

Two Post staffers told CNN that management also took issue with Attiah misquoting a Kirk remark on affirmative action from 2023. —Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for affirmative action

• abstraction
• attraction
• compaction
• contraction
• detraction
• diffraction
• distraction
• exaction
• extraction
• impaction
• inaction
• infraction

Kids Definition

affirmative action

noun

: the use of laws, policies, and programs giving limited preference to qualified minority groups and women to improve educational and employment opportunities as a remedy to the effects of long-standing discrimination

Legal Definition

affirmative action

noun

: an active effort (as through legislation) to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups or women