bigotry

noun big·ot·ry \ ˈbi-gə-trē \

Definition of bigotry

plural bigotries

1 :obstinate or intolerant devotion to one's own opinions and prejudices :the state of mind of a bigot

overcoming his own bigotry

2 :acts or beliefs characteristic of a bigot

racial bigotry

will not tolerate bigotry in our organization

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Examples of bigotry in a Sentence

a deeply ingrained bigotry prevented her from even considering the counterarguments

Recent Examples of bigotry from the Web

The noose is considered a symbol of bigotry and hatred, commonly associated with mobs in the South after the Civil War.

— anne geggis, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Noose investigation was aided by cellphone picture, city says," 25 Aug. 2017
This bigotry is counter to all this country stands for.

— craig gilbert, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Without naming Trump, Paul Ryan says there are 'no sides' to Charlottesville 'terrorism'," 21 Aug. 2017
Rancor among politicians is certainly not new, nor is hatred and bigotry at every level of society.

— keith bierygolick, Cincinnati.com, "After Charlottesville, social media prompts Mason response," 18 Aug. 2017
These lazy bigotries of right and left may not be morally interchangeable.

— andrew sullivan, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump’s Charlottesville Response Should Change Everything—and Will Change Nothing," 18 Aug. 2017
Both failed, to varying degrees and with varied responses, to deliver undiluted denunciations of criminal violence and bigotry.

— michael barone, National Review, "What Identity Politics Hath Wrought," 18 Aug. 2017
In the aftermath, social media were flooded with calls for white people to speak up against violence and bigotry.

— ann doss helms and maria david, charlotteobserver, "‘We need to call it out’ – NC woman’s confrontation of Nazi flag-flyer goes viral," 14 Aug. 2017
Modern San struggle to cope in a market economy, thanks to this heritage (and to anti-San bigotry).

— The Economist, "Living off the land," 20 July 2017
The reason was simple: despite their bigotry, members of the Maryland bar had decided to treat Marshall as a lawyer, first and foremost.

— time, Time, "One Campus Arena Where Free Speech Is Not Up for Debate: Law Schools," 13 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bigotry.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of bigotry

see bigot

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First Known Use: 1632

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bigotry Synonyms

Synonyms

dogmatism, illiberalism, illiberality, illiberalness, intolerance, intolerantness, narrow-mindedness, opinionatedness, partisanship, sectarianism, small-mindedness

Antonyms

broad-mindedness, liberalism, liberality, open-mindedness, tolerance

Related Words

reactionaryism; insularism, insularity, parochialism, provincialism

Near Antonyms

progressiveness, progressivism

Other Sociology Terms

bourgeois, ethos, eugenics, exurb, incommunicado, intelligentsia, megalopolis, metrosexual, mores, subculture

BIGOTRY Defined for English Language Learners

bigotry

noun

Definition of bigotry for English Language Learners

: bigoted acts or beliefs

BIGOTRY Defined for Kids

bigotry

noun big·ot·ry \ ˈbi-gə-trē \

Definition of bigotry for Students

:acts or beliefs characteristic of a bigot

Learn More about bigotry

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for bigotry Spanish Central: Translation of bigotry Nglish: Translation of bigotry for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of bigotry for Arabic speakers

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