McCarthyism
noun
Mc·Car·thy·ism
mə-ˈkär-thē-ˌi-zəm 
also -ˈkär-tē-
: a mid-20th century political attitude characterized chiefly by opposition to elements held to be subversive and by the use of tactics involving personal attacks on individuals by means of widely publicized indiscriminate allegations especially on the basis of unsubstantiated charges
broadly
: defamation of character or reputation through such tactics
Examples of McCarthyism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Democrats invoked the spectre of McCarthyism for other Democrats with heavy-handed satire and puppets.
—
Matthew Carey Salyer, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Joe Biden? — other than a modern version of McCarthyism?
Historically, presidents have more often been the victims than perpetrators of violence.
—Mark Green, New York Daily News, 18 June 2025
The play, which was adapted from the 2005 film, follows journalist Edward R. Murrow, played by Clooney, in his efforts to take down Sen. Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism on air amid concerns from the federal government and CBS station heads.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
The poet’s occasional philippics against capitalist excess are hard to distinguish from postwar politics, when former allies became lethal enemies, while in America the Red Scare of McCarthyism loomed.
—William Logan, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
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Matthew Carey Salyer, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Joe Biden? — other than a modern version of McCarthyism?
Historically, presidents have more often been the victims than perpetrators of violence.
—Mark Green, New York Daily News, 18 June 2025
The play, which was adapted from the 2005 film, follows journalist Edward R. Murrow, played by Clooney, in his efforts to take down Sen. Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism on air amid concerns from the federal government and CBS station heads.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
The poet’s occasional philippics against capitalist excess are hard to distinguish from postwar politics, when former allies became lethal enemies, while in America the Red Scare of McCarthyism loomed.
—William Logan, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for McCarthyism
Cite this Entry
“McCarthyism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/McCarthyism. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
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