as in ethnic
of, relating to, or reflecting the traits exhibited by a group of people with a common ancestry and culture
a survey that included an optional question regarding racial identity, age, and other personal information
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Recent Examples of racial
The announcement followed reports from the Associated Press and CBS News that the Justice Department is investigating whether donations to the national BLM entity were diverted by its leadership after the 2020 racial-justice protests.
—
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 8 Nov. 2025
These programs foster racial profiling, undermine trust in local enforcement and make people afraid to report crimes.
—Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 8 Nov. 2025
Every Black person has an uncle who is hard-core about racial justice, and mine was equally hard-core in his disapproval of Sammy’s choice.
—Questlove, The Atlantic, 7 Nov. 2025
What To Know The agreement requires Cornell to comply with the government’s interpretation of civil rights laws on issues involving antisemitism, racial discrimination and transgender issues.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for racial
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 8 Nov. 2025
These programs foster racial profiling, undermine trust in local enforcement and make people afraid to report crimes.
—Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 8 Nov. 2025
Every Black person has an uncle who is hard-core about racial justice, and mine was equally hard-core in his disapproval of Sammy’s choice.
—Questlove, The Atlantic, 7 Nov. 2025
What To Know The agreement requires Cornell to comply with the government’s interpretation of civil rights laws on issues involving antisemitism, racial discrimination and transgender issues.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for racial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for racial
Adjective
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Reports of mass murder and ethnic violence from Darfur.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Nov. 2025
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Much of this strife, including throughout the 1967-1970 civil war and subsequent clashes over the decades, has also been closely tied to feuds across ethnic and territorial lines.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Genocide is defined as attempting to partly or wholly destroy a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.—
Ellie Cook
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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The United Nations broadly defines genocide as seriously harming or killing members of a group with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Racial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/racial. Accessed 26 Nov. 2025.
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