What does "apartheid" mean?
The policy of racial segregation in South Africa from 1948 to 1994.
Apartheid
/əˈpɑːtheɪt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The policy of racial segregation in South Africa from 1948 to 1994.
- Grammar: apartheid is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: alien, anti semitism, anti-semitism, apartness.
- Useful contrasts: equal treatment, inclusion, integration.
- Usage evidence: Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings.
How to use "apartheid"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "apartheid" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "apartheid" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "apartheid" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "apartheid" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The policy of racial segregation in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. South-Africa, countable, historical, uncountable
"She don't care about the rest at all / She's got a system they call apartheid / It keeps a brother in a subjection"
- 2 a social policy or racial segregation involving political and economic and legal discrimination against people who are not Whites; the former official policy in South Africa wordnet
- 3 Any similar policy of racial segregation or separation and discrimination, particularly when in favor of a minority rule. broadly, countable, uncountable
"The 1973 Apartheid Convention conferred universal jurisdiction to the state signatories to prosecute those who commit apartheid."
- 4 A policy or situation of segregation based on some specified attribute. broadly, countable, uncountable
"Fifteen minutes drive to the Brown Trout was guaranteed to satisfy my appetite because there, as with other clubs and hotel bars, a form of sex apartheid was practised. The males assembled in the region of the bar and the opposite gender either sat discreetly detached or strayed outside to gossip gaily among themselves."
Verb
- 1 To impose a policy of segregation of groups of people, especially one based on race.
"Yes, apartheiding the apartheiders, is what the rest of the world is doing."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "apartheid"?
Common synonyms include: alien, anti semitism, anti-semitism, apartness, apartness, black power.
How do you use "apartheid" in a sentence?
Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings.
How do you pronounce "apartheid"?
Pronounced /əˈpɑːtheɪt/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Afrikaans apartheid (literally “separateness, apartness”) (1929 in a South African socio-political context), from Afrikaans apart (“separate”) + suffix -heid, cognate of English -hood.