apartheid

noun

Definition of apartheidnext
as in segregation
a former social system in South Africa in which black people and people from other racial groups did not have the same political and economic rights as white people and were forced to live separately from white people

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for apartheid
  1. segregation
  2. discrimination
Noun
  • Many of the march’s leaders and participants were later imprisoned in the Women’s Jail, where activists were held separately according to their race, as apartheid enforced segregation everywhere in South Africa.
    — Michelle Gumede, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The history of redlining, segregation and the lack of generational wealth shows how decisions made by the founding fathers created the landscape that exists for Black people in present day.
    — Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of segregation
Noun
  • The revisions have led to protests from Japanese who see the government efforts as an attempt to eliminate Princess Aiko from ruling and justify discrimination against women and a patriarchal system.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • That means workers who have faced discrimination would need to pursue expensive litigation.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of discrimination
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Apartheid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apartheid. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on apartheid

Nglish: Translation of apartheid for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about apartheid

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