censorship

American  

[sen-ser-ship] / ˈsɛn sərˌʃɪp /

noun

1. the act or practice of censoring.

2. the office or power of a censor.

3. the time during which a censor holds office.

4. the inhibiting and distorting activity of the Freudian censor.

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censorship British  

/ ˈsɛnsəˌʃɪp /

noun

1. a policy or programme of censoring

2. the act or system of censoring

3. psychoanal the activity of the mind in regulating impulses, etc, from the unconscious so that they are modified before reaching the conscious mind

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Other Word Forms

• anticensorship adjective
• precensorship noun
• procensorship adjective
• self-censorship noun

Etymology

Origin of censorship

First recorded in 1585–95; censor + -ship

Example Sentences

India has tightened rules governing the use of artificial intelligence on social media to combat a flood of disinformation, but also prompting warnings of censorship and an erosion of digital freedoms.

From Barron's

The First Amendment protects private actors against censorship by the government.

From The Wall Street Journal

The job of heading up Australia's eSafety Commission has put her squarely on the frontlines of internet battles - over fake news, censorship, trolling and children's safety.

From BBC

For many years, surveillance and censorship were haphazard and unevenly enforced.

From The Wall Street Journal

“It’s showing that people really care about the issue of censorship,” she explained.

From Salon

Related Words

• ban
• blackout
• restriction
• suppression