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bigotry

noun
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big·​ot·​ry | \ ˈbi-gə-trē How to pronounce bigotry (audio) \
plural bigotries

Definition of bigotry

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
Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about bigotry

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Examples of bigotry in a Sentence

a deeply ingrained bigotry prevented her from even considering the counterarguments
Recent Examples on the Web This was a big, avoidable mess, as decisions based on bigotry and prejudice always are. — Bill Goodykoontz, azcentral, "Hallmark sorry for pulling same-sex ad. Couldn't it just have done the right thing first?," 16 Dec. 2019 The 1924 law endorsed by Coolidge is widely seen today as a symbol of bigotry and was heavily influenced by the eugenics movement. — BostonGlobe.com, "Tracing Miller’s embrace of reviled Coolidge Law - The Boston Globe," 19 Nov. 2019 In the 2018 midterm elections, Republican candidates in some parts of the country openly campaigned on bigotry, running ads that amplified fears of minorities. — P.r. Lockhart, Vox, "Mia Love and Tim Scott want the GOP to reach out to minority voters. The party is doing the opposite.," 12 Dec. 2018 After Attacking Michelle Wolf, Reporters Return to Politely Minding President Who Called Africa a Shithole Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Donald Trump quietly doubles down on bigotry during a press conference with Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari. — Jay Willis, GQ, "After Attacking Michelle Wolf, Reporters Return to Politely Minding President Who Called Africa a Shithole," 30 Apr. 2018 The onus is on Trump and his team to prove that the ban isn’t based on bigotry. — Ted Lieu, Fortune, "I’m a Congressman and a Veteran. Trump’s Transgender Military Ban Isn’t Just Unconstitutional—It’s Stupid.," 29 Mar. 2018 Most forms of bigotry—such as the horrific discrimination against Muslims that is now deforming India, the world’s largest democracy—have some kind of deprecation of the Other at their core. — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, "Behind the Bewildering Recent Incidents of Anti-Semitism," 16 Dec. 2019 Isn’t that because of the damaging effects of white people’s racial bigotry? — Matt Ford, The New Republic, "The Man Who Hates Criminal-Justice Reform," 7 May 2018 Racist nonsense, bigotry, sometimes just plain old stupidity. — Eric Bangeman, Ars Technica, "2019’s most commented stories on Ars Technica—and their top comments!," 25 Dec. 2019

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.

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First Known Use of bigotry

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for bigotry

see bigot

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Time Traveler for bigotry

Time Traveler

The first known use of bigotry was in 1632

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Statistics for bigotry

Last Updated

31 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Bigotry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bigotry. Accessed 17 Feb. 2020.

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More Definitions for bigotry

bigotry

noun
How to pronounce bigotry (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of bigotry

: bigoted acts or beliefs

See the full definition for bigotry in the English Language Learners Dictionary

bigotry

noun
big·​ot·​ry | \ ˈbi-gə-trē How to pronounce bigotry (audio) \

Kids Definition of bigotry

: acts or beliefs characteristic of a bigot

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More from Merriam-Webster on 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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