McCarthyism

[ muh-kahr-thee-iz-uhm ]

noun

1. the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, especially of pro-Communist activity, in many instances unsupported by proof or based on slight, doubtful, or irrelevant evidence.
2. the practice of making unfair allegations or using unfair investigative techniques, especially in order to restrict dissent or political criticism.

McCarthyism

/ məˈkɑːθɪˌɪzəm /

noun

1. the practice of making unsubstantiated accusations of disloyalty or Communist leanings
2. the use of unsupported accusations for any purpose

McCarthyism

1. The extreme opposition to communism shown by Senator Joseph R. McCarthy and his supporters in the 1940s and 1950s.

Notes

McCarthyism has become a general term for the hysterical investigation of a government's opponents or the publicizing of accusations against these opponents without sufficient evidence to support the charges.

Derived Forms

• McˈCarthyite, nounadjective

Other Words From

• Mc·Carthy·ite noun adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of McCarthyism¹

1950, Americanism; after J. R. McCarthy; -ism

Word History and Origins

Origin of McCarthyism¹

C20: after Joseph McCarthy

Example Sentences

Back then, it was called McCarthyism, after the Wisconsin Republican senator who wielded groundless accusations as recklessly as Trump.

From Los Angeles Times

But its juiciest political battles are fought in the 1950s, at the height of McCarthyism, an era of brazen opportunism and fear-mongering that still permeates American electoral politics.

From Los Angeles Times

The provision, titled Article 34, was approved via initiative in 1950 amid the height of McCarthyism and widespread racial discrimination in the housing market.

From Los Angeles Times

For gay men and women, 1950s conformity enforced by McCarthyism meant that the revelation of their sexuality could lead to financial ruin, ostracism and even worse.

From Los Angeles Times

“These tactics echo the dark days of McCarthyism, but with a frightening 21st-century twist,” she wrote in the letter on Monday with the organization’s co-founder Carlos Álvarez-Aranyos, a public-relations consultant who in 2020 was involved in efforts to defend the integrity of the American voting system.

From New York Times