desegregate

verb de·seg·re·gate \ (ˌ)dē-ˈse-gri-ˌgāt \

Definition of desegregate

transitive verb

:to eliminate segregation in; specifically :to free of any law, provision, or practice requiring isolation of the members of a particular race in separate units

intransitive verb

:to become desegregated

See desegregate defined for English-language learners

See desegregate defined for kids

Examples of desegregate in a Sentence

efforts to desegregate the town's buses
Eventually the city's schools desegregated.

Recent Examples of desegregate from the Web

After the landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling in 1954, in which the U.S. Supreme Court declared segregated schools unconstitutional, the Arlington school board moved to begin desegregating its schools.

— dara elasfar, Washington Post, "Martha Ann Miller, who taught at one of Virginia’s first desegregated public schools, dies at 106," 28 Aug. 2017
Eckford was attempting to desegregate Little Rock Central High School.

— jenn m. jackson, Teen Vogue, "Women Have Always Been a Part of White Supremacy," 18 Aug. 2017
As attempts were made to desegregate Detroit's schools — which had fallen victim of de facto segregation — the United Klans of America began cropping up specifically in the education system.

— allie gross, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan has long been fertile ground for the far right," 17 Aug. 2017
Nixon, meanwhile, who had not yet been tainted by Watergate, was experiencing a wave of popularity for vowing to get America out of Vietnam and to desegregate schools.

— olivia b. waxman, Time, "The Story Behind That Famous Photo of Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon," 15 Aug. 2017
The U.S. military was officially desegregated in 1948 by executive order of President Harry Truman.

— jeanette steele, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Coronado Navy barracks named for black WWII sailor, a hero of USS Yorktown," 10 Aug. 2017
On this day in 1948, Truman desegregated the U.S. Military.

— don sweeney, sacbee, "Reaction swift online to Trump’s ban on transgender troops," 26 July 2017
When ordered to desegregate last year, the school district in Cleveland initially fought the judge’s order.

— angela helm, The Root, "Justice for Jasmine: Black Miss. Teen Forced to Share Valedictorian Title Sues," 3 July 2017
There was Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier years before schools were desegregated.

— david montero, latimes.com, "Through good times and bad, baseball endures. After the congressional shooting, can it help bridge political divides?," 15 June 2017

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

First Known Use of desegregate

1949

DESEGREGATE Defined for English Language Learners

desegregate

verb

Definition of desegregate for English Language Learners

: to end a policy that keeps people of different races apart : to end a policy of segregation

DESEGREGATE Defined for Kids

desegregate

verb de·seg·re·gate \ dē-ˈse-gri-ˌgāt \

Definition of desegregate for Students

desegregated; desegregating

:to end by law the separation of members of different races

desegregate schools

Law Dictionary

desegregate

transitive verb de·seg·re·gate \ dē-ˈse-grə-ˌgāt \

legal Definition of desegregate

desegregated; desegregating

:to eliminate segregation in; specifically :to free from any law, provision, or practice requiring isolation of the members of a particular race in separate units

intransitive verb

:to become desegregated

Learn More about desegregate

See words that rhyme with desegregate Spanish Central: Translation of desegregate Nglish: Translation of desegregate for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up desegregate? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

desegregate

Definition of desegregate

Examples of desegregate in a Sentence

Recent Examples of desegregate from the Web

First Known Use of desegregate

DESEGREGATE Defined for English Language Learners

desegregate

Definition of desegregate for English Language Learners

DESEGREGATE Defined for Kids

desegregate

Definition of desegregate for Students

Law Dictionary

desegregate

legal Definition of desegregate

Learn More about desegregate

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

malign

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

The History of the Word 'Terrorism'

'Regimen' vs. 'Regiment'

'Spox' May Go On The Record

C'mon, Of Course 'Myriad' Is a Noun

Ask the Editors

Words of the Year: 1066

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Irregardless

Weird Plurals

Word Games

Forms of Government Quiz

Original Meanings Quiz

Name That Thing

Add Diction

The History of the Word 'Terrorism'

Trending: McCain: Half-Baked, 'Spurious' Nationalism

17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Forms of Government Quiz

Words of the Year: 1066

desegregate

Definition of desegregate

Explore Merriam-Webster

Examples of desegregate in a Sentence

Recent Examples of desegregate from the Web

First Known Use of desegregate

DESEGREGATE Defined for English Language Learners

desegregate

Definition of desegregate for English Language Learners

DESEGREGATE Defined for Kids

desegregate

Definition of desegregate for Students

Law Dictionary

desegregate

legal Definition of desegregate

Learn More about desegregate

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

The History of the Word 'Terrorism'

Trending: McCain: Half-Baked, 'Spurious' Nationalism

17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Forms of Government Quiz

Words of the Year: 1066