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Definition of racism noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

racism

noun
 
/ˈreɪsɪzəm/
 
/ˈreɪsɪzəm/
[uncountable]
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  1. the unfair treatment of people who belong to a different race; violent behaviour towards them
    • a victim of racism
    • ugly outbreaks of racism
    • the urgent need to address institutional racism within the organization
    • It is important to identify root causes that perpetuate systemic racism in the city.
    • structural/casual racism
    • Half a million people held a mass protest against racism last night.
    Collocations RaceRaceRace and society
    • fight for/​struggle for/​promote racial equality/​civil rights/​equal rights
    • outlaw/​end discrimination/​segregation
    • promote/​embrace/​celebrate/​champion diversity/​multiculturalism
    • attack/​criticize/​oppose/​reject multiculturalism
    • bridge/​break down/​transcend cultural/​racial barriers
    • practise/​promote (racial/​religious) tolerance/​integration
    • exacerbate/​widen/​perpetuate/​reinforce (racial/​socio-economic) inequality
    • conform to/​challenge/​violate (accepted/​established/​prevailing/​dominant) social/​cultural norms
    Prejudice and racism
    • experience/​encounter racism/​discrimination/​prejudice/​anti-Semitism/​Islamophobia
    • face/​suffer persecution/​discrimination
    • fear/​escape from/​flee (racial/​political/​religious) persecution
    • denounce/​condemn racism/​hate/​anti-Semitism/​Islamophobia
    • challenge/​confront racism/​discrimination/​prejudice
    • combat/​dismantle/​eradicate/​fight (blatant/​overt/​covert/​subtle/​institutional/​systemic) racism
    • perpetuate/​defy (common/​popular/​traditional/​negative) stereotypes
    • entrench/​perpetuate racism/​racist attitudes
    • reflect/​reveal/​show/​have a racial/​cultural bias
    • constitute/​be a form of racial/​race discrimination
    • discriminate/​be prejudiced/​be biased against minority groups/​minorities/​people of colour
    Extra Examples
    • Many immigrants have experienced racism.
    • Racism was rampant in the armed forces.
    • There is a shocking amount of racism in society.
    • measures to combat racism
    • the fight against racism
    • Racism can take many forms.
    Topics Social issuesb2, People in societyb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • blatant
    • overt
    • covert
    verb + racism
    • be a victim of
    • experience
    • combat
    preposition
    • against racism
    • racism  in
    phrases
    • a form of racism
    See full entry
  2. the belief that there are different races of people with different characteristics and abilities, and that some races are better than others; a general belief about a whole group of people based only on their race
    • irrational racism
    • Many 19th-century scientific theories were underpinned by racism.
    see also anti-racismTopics Social issuesb2, People in societyb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • blatant
    • overt
    • covert
    verb + racism
    • be a victim of
    • experience
    • combat
    preposition
    • against racism
    • racism  in
    phrases
    • a form of racism
    See full entry
See racism in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee racism in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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