antisemitism: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Formal, Academic, Political, Historical
Quick answer
What does “antisemitism” mean?
Hostility to, prejudice against, or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Hostility to, prejudice against, or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.
A system of beliefs, attitudes, and actions that target Jewish people, often based on stereotypes, conspiracy theories, and historical hatred. It can manifest as individual prejudice, institutional discrimination, or violent persecution.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The spelling 'antisemitism' (without a hyphen) is now strongly preferred in both academic and institutional writing in the UK and US to avoid the pseudo-scientific implication of being 'against Semitism'. The hyphenated form 'anti-Semitism' is considered dated.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties. The term carries the same severe, negative connotation of a profound and dangerous form of bigotry.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in serious journalism, academic discourse, and political commentary in both regions due to the global nature of the issue.
Grammar
How to Use “antisemitism” in a Sentence
[Verb] + antisemitism (e.g., combat, condemn, fuel)antisemitism + [Verb] (e.g., antisemitism is rising, persists, manifests)[Adjective] + antisemitism (e.g., virulent, institutional, historic)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “antisemitism” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The community group works to antisemitismise public awareness of the issue. (Note: This is a rare, non-standard formation; 'combat antisemitism' is standard.)
American English
- The organisation seeks to antisemitismise its training modules. (Note: This is a rare, non-standard formation; 'address antisemitism' is standard.)
adverb
British English
- The article was criticised for being antisemitically charged.
American English
- The cartoon was viewed as acting antisemitically by perpetuating a harmful trope.
adjective
British English
- The report detailed several antisemitic incidents in the city.
American English
- He was fired for making antisemitic remarks on social media.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in contexts of corporate ethics, diversity & inclusion policies, or statements condemning discrimination.
Academic
Frequent in history, political science, sociology, and religious studies to analyse historical persecution, ideological movements, and social prejudice.
Everyday
Used in serious discussions of current events, politics, and news reports about discrimination or hate crimes.
Technical
Used in legal contexts (hate crime legislation), human rights monitoring, and policy documents from governments and NGOs.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “antisemitism”
- Misspelling as 'antiseminitism'. Using it to describe prejudice against Arabs or other Semitic-language speakers. Using it as a synonym for general racism or criticism of the state of Israel (the latter is a separate, though sometimes related, issue).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The modern standard, preferred by scholars and many institutions, is without a hyphen: 'antisemitism'. The hyphenated form 'anti-Semitism' is considered dated as it implies a opposition to 'Semitism', which is not a coherent concept.
No. While it has a long history, antisemitism is a contemporary issue. It manifests today in hate speech, conspiracy theories, vandalism, violence, and discrimination, both online and offline.
Not automatically. Legitimate criticism of Israeli government policies is not inherently antisemitic. However, criticism that employs antisemitic tropes, denies the Jewish people's right to self-determination, or applies double standards to Israel can cross into antisemitism, as defined by the IHRA working definition.
Antisemitism is a specific form of prejudice targeting Jewish people. Racism is a broader system of discrimination based on perceived racial differences. Antisemitism can involve racial, religious, ethnic, or political components, and has unique historical characteristics and conspiracy theories associated with it.
Hostility to, prejudice against, or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.
Antisemitism is usually formal, academic, political, historical in register.
Antisemitism: in British English it is pronounced /ˌæntiˈsemɪtɪzəm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌæntiˈsɛməˌtɪzəm/ /ˌæntaɪˈsɛməˌtɪzəm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The oldest hatred”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Anti-' (against) + 'Semitism' (referring to Jewish people). It is specifically prejudice against Jewish people.
Conceptual Metaphor
A VIRUS/DISEASE (antisemitism spreads, is a contagion, must be eradicated). A WEED (deep-rooted antisemitism, it must be uprooted).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most accurate description of antisemitism?