McCarthyism
noun
Mc·Car·thy·ism
mə-ˈkär-thē-ˌi-zəm 
also -ˈkär-tē-
: a mid-20th century political attitude marked by opposition to elements held to be subversive and by the use of unsubstantiated and widely publicized personal attacks
broadly
: defamation of character or reputation through such tactics
Examples of McCarthyism in a Sentence
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Reiner’s father opposed the Communist hunt of McCarthyism in the 1950s and his mother, Estelle Reiner, a singer and actor, protested the Vietnam War.
—
Jake Coyle, Fortune, 15 Dec. 2025
Reiner's father opposed the Communist hunt of McCarthyism in the 1950s and his mother, Estelle Reiner, a singer and actor, protested the Vietnam War.
—CBS News, 15 Dec. 2025
Spacey likened his predicament to the experiences of actors of yore, who were swept into the Hollywood blacklist as a result of McCarthyism.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 27 Nov. 2025
Einstein’s philosophical battle against McCarthyism began with a letter to a Brooklyn high school teacher named William Frauenglass.
—Jodie Childers, The Conversation, 20 Nov. 2025
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Jake Coyle, Fortune, 15 Dec. 2025
Reiner's father opposed the Communist hunt of McCarthyism in the 1950s and his mother, Estelle Reiner, a singer and actor, protested the Vietnam War.
—CBS News, 15 Dec. 2025
Spacey likened his predicament to the experiences of actors of yore, who were swept into the Hollywood blacklist as a result of McCarthyism.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 27 Nov. 2025
Einstein’s philosophical battle against McCarthyism began with a letter to a Brooklyn high school teacher named William Frauenglass.
—Jodie Childers, The Conversation, 20 Nov. 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 23 Dec. 2025.
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