Klan

noun

plural Klans
often attributive
: ku klux klan
also : a subordinate unit of the Ku Klux Klan
Klanism noun
Klansman noun

Examples of Klan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nativism rose in the 1850s and continued in various ways including a resurgence of the Klan after World War I. Much like today, immigrants were accused of taking American jobs and criticized for speaking their native languages. Alexandria Burris, IndyStar, 3 July 2025 The cross displays continued for a few years until 2001, when the Klan missed the deadline to apply for a permit. Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 The twins refuse them entry, fearing that any trouble might spark up racial tension and attract the attention of the Klan. Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025 Mack and his wife Adele Dorothy Keen then moved to different cities in the northeast — often relocating due to Keen’s nightmares of the Klan being hot on their trail — before settling in Akron, Ohio. Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for Klan

Word History

Etymology

(Ku Klux) Klan

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Klan was in 1867

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Klan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Klan. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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