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
  • In somewhat bare-bones, cozy settings, Red Lobster became a middle-class family destination, and was welcoming to Black customers at a time when segregation, while outlawed, was still common in much of the American South.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Housing discrimination and segregation were deep-seated, and the Los Angeles sky was the color of swamp water.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of segregation
Noun
  • In a 2020 lawsuit, Dougan alleged he was retaliated against after an investigation was conducted into a complaint of gender discrimination that originated in the Fire Department’s Communications Center.
    — Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Right Livelihood said her work challenges the control that a small number of powerful companies exercise over AI and exposes harms that AI systems are already causing, particularly to communities facing discrimination and exclusion.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 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 6 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on apartheid

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about apartheid

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