tokenism
noun
to·ken·ism
ˈtō-kə-ˌni-zəm 
: the policy or practice of making only a symbolic effort (as to desegregate)
Examples of tokenism in a Sentence
Did the company choose her for her merits, or merely as an act of tokenism?
Recent Examples on the Web
The piece argues that audiences can sniff out tokenism—and they’re turned off by it.
—
Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
For her, inclusivity isn’t about tokenism or sizing charts.
—Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
This can create more harm than good with tokenism and negative feelings from dominant group members who feel like they may be overlooked and just as qualified.
—Julie Kratz, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
What could once be cast as tokenism is now simply a reflection of the state of the art.
—Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tokenism
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Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
For her, inclusivity isn’t about tokenism or sizing charts.
—Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
This can create more harm than good with tokenism and negative feelings from dominant group members who feel like they may be overlooked and just as qualified.
—Julie Kratz, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
What could once be cast as tokenism is now simply a reflection of the state of the art.
—Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tokenism
Cite this Entry
“Tokenism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tokenism. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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