yellow peril

noun, often capitalized Y&P

Definition of yellow peril

1 : a danger to Western civilization held to arise from expansion of the power and influence of eastern Asian peoples

2 : a threat to Western living standards from the influx of eastern Asian laborers willing to work for very low wages

Examples of yellow peril in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Yet viral surveillance footage, bystander videos, local reporting, and anti-Asian hate incident reports continue to document an alarming return of yellow peril to the United States. — Sarah Wang, Harper's BAZAAR, 28 June 2021 Experiencing that difference, glimpsing a bit of that yellow peril, has been insightful and painful. — Beth Nguyen, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2021 Resurging xenophobia recalls Hollywood’s repeated images of Chinatown as a dark warren of yellow peril. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2021 There were newspaper reports; there were radio talk shows that talked about the yellow peril and the menace. — Cassa Niedringhaus, The Denver Post, 27 June 2019

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