censor

1 of 2

noun

cen·​sor ˈsen(t)-sər How to pronounce censor (audio)
1
: a person who supervises conduct and morals: such as
a
: an official who examines materials (such as publications or films) for objectionable matter
Government censors deleted all references to the protest.
b
: an official (as in time of war) who reads communications (such as letters) and deletes material considered sensitive or harmful
2
: one of two magistrates of early Rome acting as census takers, assessors, and inspectors of morals and conduct
Cato the Censor accused Africanus and his senior officers of running an army riddled with moral laxityColleen McCullough
3
: a hypothetical psychic agency that represses unacceptable notions before they reach consciousness
censorial adjective

censor

2 of 2

verb

censored; censoring ˈsen(t)-sə-riŋ How to pronounce censor (audio)
ˈsen(t)s-riŋ

transitive verb

: to examine in order to suppress (see suppress sense 2) or delete anything considered objectionable
censor the news
also : to suppress or delete as objectionable
censor out indecent passages

Examples of censor in a Sentence

Noun Government censors deleted all references to the protest. Verb The station censored her speech before broadcasting it. His report was heavily censored.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
And while the movie may be more about capturing the spirit of the night than the exact events, many viewers may walk away with some questions about a llama, a fire, and an aggressive censor. Olivia B. Waxman, TIME, 11 Oct. 2024 Audience members have been walking out of screenings, fainting, and even vomiting, and film censors in France have imposed a ban on Terrifier 3 for under-18s. Simon Thompson, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
Verb
His administration censored scientific data on government websites and tried to undermine the findings of the National Climate Assessment, the government’s scientific report on the risks and impacts of climate change. Vox Staff, Vox, 24 Oct. 2024 Tools used by young learners should be censored to ensure safe communication, and adhering to all locally applicable standards is also a must. Hashim Hayat, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for censor 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Latin cēnsor "Roman magistrate tasked with registering citizens, removing persons from the register whose conduct was found wanting, and leasing public contracts," from cēnsēre "to give as an opinion, assess, appraise, perform the duties of a censor" (going back to an Indo-European verbal base *ḱems- "announce, evaluate publicly," whence Sanskrit śaṁati "declares solemnly, praises," Avestan sənghaitī "announces, names") + -tor, agent suffix

Verb

derivative of censor entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1882, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of censor was in 1526

Dictionary Entries Near censor

Cite this Entry

“Censor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/censor. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

censor

1 of 2 noun
cen·​sor ˈsen(t)-sər How to pronounce censor (audio)
: an official who checks materials (as publications or movies) to take out things thought to be objectionable

censor

2 of 2 verb
censored; censoring ˈsen(t)s-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce censor (audio)
: to examine in order to prevent publication or take out things thought to be objectionable
also : to delete things thought to be objectionable

Medical Definition

censor

noun
cen·​sor ˈsen(t)-sər How to pronounce censor (audio)
: a hypothetical psychic agency that represses unacceptable notions before they reach consciousness
censorial adjective

Legal Definition

censor

1 of 2 transitive verb
cen·​sor
: to examine (as a publication or film) in order to suppress or delete any contents considered objectionable

censor

2 of 2 noun
: one that censors

More from Merriam-Webster on censor

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