sexism

noun sex·ism \ ˈsek-ˌsi-zəm \

Updated on: 18 May 2018

1 : prejudice or discrimination based on sex; especially : discrimination against women

2 : behavior, conditions, or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based on sex

—

sexist

play \ˈsek-sist\ adjective or noun

See sexism defined for English-language learners

See sexism defined for kids

Examples of sexism in a Sentence

the problem of sexism in language

Recent Examples of sexism from the Web

Polizzi says sexism and an embrace of right wing ideology cast Stewart from the race.

— hartford courant, courant.com, "Live Coverage: 2018 Connecticut Republican Convention," 11 May 2018
Women have lived with sexism and misogyny every day for centuries.

— sohini bhattacharya, Harper's BAZAAR, "Are You Complicit in Misogyny?," 1 May 2018
The Russians, obstruction, collusion, sexism, the list goes on and on.

— Fox News, "Kellyanne Conway on how Comey memos vindicate Trump," 22 Apr. 2018
The introduction of the bill comes as the tech industry has seen a wave of harassment, sexism and other workplace issues come to light — only some of which have made it to court.

— johana bhuiyan, Recode, "Susan Fowler’s next act: Ending forced arbitration, which blocks workers from suing their employers," 18 Apr. 2018
The iconic red and white handmaid costume has been seen at marches, protests and Halloween parties, often used as a symbol of sexism and oppression.

— kelly lawler, USA TODAY, "Review: 'The Handmaid's Tale' Season 2 is still strong, but verges on misery porn," 16 Apr. 2018
And a majority correctly say that sexism and unconscious bias are at the root of the problem, while just 5% attribute it to tired notions about women working less hard or being less educated than men.

— rachel thomas and debra l. ness, Time, "1 in 3 Americans Don’t Know That a Gender Wage Gap Exists, Survey Says," 10 Apr. 2018
Others, like Arendt, didn’t see sexism and patriarchy as the pressing political issue of her time, and Didion, for instance, was turned off by what was somewhat unfairly labeled a monolithic movement.

— anna diamond, Smithsonian, "Writing in the Public Eye, These Women Brought the 20th Century Into Focus," 4 Apr. 2018
Now, ahead of her second album, the star has shared her thoughts on sexism and #MeToo in the May 2018 issue of British GQ.

— shanté honeycutt, Billboard, "Dua Lipa on Sexism In Music Industry: 'For a Female Artist, It Takes a Lot More to Be Taken Seriously'," 29 Mar. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of sexism

¹sex + -ism (as in racism)

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1963

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

SEXISM Defined for English Language Learners

sexism

noun

: unfair treatment of people because of their sex; especially : unfair treatment of women

SEXISM Defined for Kids

sexism

noun sex·ism \ ˈsek-ˌsi-zəm \

: distinction and especially unjust distinction based on gender and made against one person or group (as women) in favor of another

Learn More about sexism

See words that rhyme with sexism Spanish Central: Translation of sexism Nglish: Translation of sexism for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of sexism for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sexism

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up sexism? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

sexism

sexist

Examples of sexism in a Sentence

Recent Examples of sexism from the Web

Origin and Etymology of sexism

SEXISM Defined for English Language Learners

sexism

SEXISM Defined for Kids

sexism

Learn More about sexism

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

homogeneous

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

'Deprived' vs. 'Depraved'

'Folksonomy': Let’s Get Organized

12 Words from All Over the Map

'Ingenious' and 'Ingenuous': More Than a Typo

Ask the Editors

Ghost Word

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

Literally

Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

Word Games

May 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

Words Used by Nabokov Quiz

Spell It

Word Winder's CrossWinder

'Deprived' vs. 'Depraved'

May 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

12 Words from All Over the Map

Trending: Melania Trump Undergoes 'Embolization'

Ghost Word

sexism

sexist

Examples of sexism in a Sentence

Recent Examples of sexism from the Web

Origin and Etymology of sexism

SEXISM Defined for English Language Learners

sexism

SEXISM Defined for Kids

sexism

Learn More about sexism

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

'Deprived' vs. 'Depraved'

May 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

12 Words from All Over the Map

Trending: Melania Trump Undergoes 'Embolization'

Ghost Word