race riot

noun

|Updated on: 13 Jul 2018

Definition of race riot

: a riot caused by racial dissensions or hatreds

See race riot defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of race riot from the Web

Take Shaw, a historical centre of black culture in Washington which limped into the 1970s as a shadow of itself after a series of race riots.

— The Economist, "In praise of gentrification," 21 June 2018
Thousands of black Londoners gathered in protest, the beginning of race riots that rippled through the city.

— ellen barry, The Seattle Times, "What the royal bride-to-be means to black Londoners," 14 May 2018
Johnson defended his title in Reno, Nevada, in front of a mostly white crowd, prompting violent race riots in which more than 20 people were killed and hundreds were injured.

— dakin andone, CNN, "Who was Jack Johnson, the boxer who may be pardoned by Trump?," 22 Apr. 2018
The news touched off race riots in Washington, D.C., Chicago and dozens of other cities, causing damage that took decades to repair.

— editors, USA TODAY, "Martin Luther King Jr. assassination, YouTube shooting: 5 things you need to know Wednesday," 4 Apr. 2018
After the fight, race riots broke out across the United States between jubilant African-Americans and upset whites.

— ernie suggs, ajc, "Who was Jack Johnson?," 24 May 2018
Hundreds of ethnic Chinese were killed in race riots in Kuala Lumpur in 1969.

— james hookway, WSJ, "Affirmative Action Drove Many Chinese Malaysians Abroad. Now They’re Thinking About Coming Home.," 17 May 2018
After the 1992 race riots in Los Angeles, his residential house invited students to post their feelings on a wall—a literal, brick-and-mortar one.

— andrew rice, WIRED, "This Is Ajit Pai, Nemesis of Net Neutrality," 16 May 2018
After the car, with Maria at the wheel, runs over a black man and nearly ignites a race riot, Sherman enters the nightmare world of the criminal justice system.

— New York Times, "Tom Wolfe, 88, ‘New Journalist’ With Electric Style and Acid Pen, Dies," 15 May 2018

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