colorism
noun
col·or·ism
ˈkə-lə-ˌri-zəm 
-lər-ˌi-zəm
variants
or British colourism
: prejudice or discrimination especially within a racial or ethnic group favoring people with lighter skin over those with darker skin
Under this system of colorism—the system which prevailed in my childhood in Jamaica, and which has carried over to the present—rarely will dark and light people co-mingle. Rarely will they achieve between themselves an intimacy informed with identity.—
Michelle Cliff
Michelle CliffWhat writer Alice Walker defined as colorism, the preferential or prejudicial treatment of same-race people based on skin color, continues to this day. And as she once wrote, unless we exorcise it "we cannot as a people progress. For colorism, like colonialism, sexism and racism, impedes us."—Itabari Njeri
Itabari NjeriExamples of colorism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This initiative includes addressing digital colorism, highlighting how standard filters on social media platforms often alter features and skin tones, perpetuating narrow beauty standards.
—Pauleanna Reid, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
For better or worse, the first nine seasons were a remarkable deconstruction of how fragile the foundation of elite performance is when funneled through the lenses of patriarchy, misogyny, and colorism.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
However, with Amandla Stenberg, a biracial actor, cast in one of the lead roles, the film has already sparked a debate on colorism — one that threatens to overshadow a larger conversation about African storytelling in the mainstream.
—Susan Akyeampong, refinery29.com, 13 Feb. 2025
The film offers a unique perspective on Haiti’s ongoing security challenges by drawing from its vexing reality: political and police corruption, foreign election interference, colorism, homophobia and the cynicism of those who are vying for political power.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2025
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Pauleanna Reid, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
For better or worse, the first nine seasons were a remarkable deconstruction of how fragile the foundation of elite performance is when funneled through the lenses of patriarchy, misogyny, and colorism.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
However, with Amandla Stenberg, a biracial actor, cast in one of the lead roles, the film has already sparked a debate on colorism — one that threatens to overshadow a larger conversation about African storytelling in the mainstream.
—Susan Akyeampong, refinery29.com, 13 Feb. 2025
The film offers a unique perspective on Haiti’s ongoing security challenges by drawing from its vexing reality: political and police corruption, foreign election interference, colorism, homophobia and the cynicism of those who are vying for political power.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colorism
Cite this Entry
“Colorism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colorism. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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