variants often Red-baiting
: the act of attacking or persecuting as a Communist or as communistic

red-baiting

2 of 2

present participle of red-bait

Examples of red-baiting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Advertisement Most notably, in 1958, congressional conservatives pushed to rein in the Warren Court for rulings that challenged and undercut the red-baiting that characterized the era of McCarthyism. — Time, 14 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of red-baiting was in 1927

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Cite this Entry

“Red-baiting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red-baiting. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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