racist
gb/ɹˈeɪsɪst/ us/ɹˈeɪsɪst/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
showing racial prejudice or hatred
If someone or something is racist, it treats people unfairly because of their race.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is racist; racist toward/against [group]
Common mistake:
Don’t use racist to mean simply “about race”; use racial for neutral descriptions (e.g., racial equality).
Synonyms
bigoted (Broader; prejudice can be about many groups, not only race.)
|
prejudiced (More general and sometimes less direct/strong than racist.)
Antonyms
anti-racist (Actively opposing racism.)
|
non-racist (Not racist (without implying active opposition).)
Collocations
racist comments
|racist remarks
|racist behavior
|racist attitudes
|racist abuse
|racist language
|racist slur
|racist stereotypes
|openly racist
|deeply racist
Themes
society
|discrimination
|politics
|ethics
Examples
- The employee was fired for making racist comments at work.
- Many people criticized the ad because it relied on racist stereotypes.
- She told him his joke was racist and asked him not to repeat it.
Learner examples
- That word is racist.
- It is racist to treat people differently because of their skin color.
Noun
B2
role
2
person with racist beliefs
A racist is someone who is unfair to people because of their race.
Usage pattern:
a racist; racists
Common mistake:
Racist is a countable noun in this meaning (a racist, racists).
Synonyms
bigot (More general; prejudice may be about religion, sexuality, etc.)
Antonyms
anti-racist (A person who actively works against racism.)
Collocations
a blatant racist
|an open racist
|a self-described racist
|a convicted racist
|racists online
|racists and extremists
|call [someone] a racist
|accuse [someone] of being racist
Themes
society
|discrimination
Examples
- He denied being a racist, but his posts told a different story.
- The group was led by racists and other extremists.
- She refuses to give racists a platform at her events.
Learner examples
- He is a racist.
- Racists hurt other people.
Grammar
Dictionary form
racist
IPA
GB/ɹˈeɪsɪst/
US/ɹˈeɪsɪst/
Syllables & stress
ra - cist (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (ra)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: racist
Noun
- Base: racist
- Plural: racists
Expressions
deeply racist
1/dˈipli ɹˈeɪsɪst/
fixed phrase
strongly racist
Deeply racist means very racist.
Examples
- The report described a deeply racist culture within the organization.
- She argued that the policy is deeply racist in its effects.
i'm not racist, but ...
1/ˈaɪm nˈɑt ɹˈeɪsɪst | bˈʌt |/
fixed phrase
informal
preface before a racist statement
People often say this before saying something racist.
Examples
- He started with, "I'm not racist, but ...," and everyone braced themselves.
- When someone says "I'm not racist, but ...," it’s usually followed by a stereotype.
openly racist
1/ˈoʊpənli ɹˈeɪsɪst/
fixed phrase
not hiding racist views
If someone is openly racist, they show their racism clearly.
Examples
- Some accounts were openly racist and were removed from the platform.
- He used to be careful, but lately he’s been openly racist.
racist abuse
1/ɹˈeɪsɪst əbjˈus/
fixed phrase
verbal or physical racist attacks
Racist abuse is cruel or threatening behavior because of race.
Examples
- Several players reported racist abuse from the crowd.
- The council set up a hotline to report racist abuse.
racist joke
1/ɹˈeɪsɪst d͡ʒˈoʊk/
fixed phrase
joke based on racism
A racist joke is a joke that is unfair or insulting about race.
Examples
- He tried to defend it as humor, but it was a racist joke.
- They asked the comedian to stop telling racist jokes.
racist remarks
1/ɹˈeɪsɪst ɹɪmˈɑɹks/
fixed phrase
racist things someone says
Racist remarks are racist comments.
Examples
- She apologized after making racist remarks during the interview.
- The company condemned the racist remarks and launched an investigation.
racist slur
1/ɹˈeɪsɪst slˈɚ/
fixed phrase
racially insulting word or phrase
A racist slur is a very offensive word about someone’s race.
Examples
- He was arrested after shouting a racist slur on the train.
- The school has a zero-tolerance policy for racist slurs.