blackface
noun
black·face
ˈblak-ˌfās 
often attributive
1
: dark makeup worn to mimic the appearance of a Black person and especially to mock or ridicule Black people
specifically, historical
: such makeup worn by white entertainers (as in minstrel shows) performing racist caricatures of Black people
Note: The wearing of blackface by white performers was, from the early 19th through the mid-20th centuries, a prominent feature of minstrel shows (see minstrel sense 3a) and similar forms of entertainment featuring exaggerated and inaccurate caricatures of Black people. The use of blackface is considered deeply offensive.
compare brownface, yellowface2
Examples of blackface in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet another quilt depicts a blackface minstrel as a reminder of whites who masqueraded as Blacks on Vaudeville and perpetuated demeaning stereotypes.
—
Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
This resulted in a white model wearing blackface and other racial stereotyping.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 17 Feb. 2026
According to The Times, the documentary covers allegations that Chase, who had become frustrated with his character’s escalating bigotry and a scene in which the character uses a hand puppet wearing blackface, said a racial slur when asking whether his character would be made to say it next.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 3 Jan. 2026
The incident that led to his firing involved a scene in which Chase’s character Pierce Hawthorne performs a puppet show in which the hand puppet character performs in blackface.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for blackface
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Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
This resulted in a white model wearing blackface and other racial stereotyping.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 17 Feb. 2026
According to The Times, the documentary covers allegations that Chase, who had become frustrated with his character’s escalating bigotry and a scene in which the character uses a hand puppet wearing blackface, said a racial slur when asking whether his character would be made to say it next.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 3 Jan. 2026
The incident that led to his firing involved a scene in which Chase’s character Pierce Hawthorne performs a puppet show in which the hand puppet character performs in blackface.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for blackface
Cite this Entry
“Blackface.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blackface. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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