yellow peril
noun
variants
often Yellow Peril
1
dated, offensive
: a danger to Western civilization held to arise from expansion of the power and influence of eastern Asian peoples
2
dated, offensive
: 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
The attacks over the last two years did not happen in a vacuum, but reflect the endurance of yellow peril, which physiologically and ideologically desensitizes, dehumanizes, and weaponizes Asians and Asian Americans.
—
ELLE, 17 Mar. 2022
Hardy responded by joking nihilistically about the rise of China in language tinged with yellow peril metaphors.
—Rebecca Davis, Variety, 30 Nov. 2021
The superhero has been plagued by tropes that society still imposes on Asian Americans both in real life and in fiction — yellow peril, kung fu master, etc.
—Washington Post, 3 Sep. 2021
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
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ELLE, 17 Mar. 2022
Hardy responded by joking nihilistically about the rise of China in language tinged with yellow peril metaphors.
—Rebecca Davis, Variety, 30 Nov. 2021
The superhero has been plagued by tropes that society still imposes on Asian Americans both in real life and in fiction — yellow peril, kung fu master, etc.
—Washington Post, 3 Sep. 2021
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
Cite this Entry
“Yellow peril.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yellow%20peril. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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