pogrom

American  

[puh-gruhm, -grom, poh-] / pəˈgrʌm, -ˈgrɒm, poʊ- /

noun

1. an organized massacre, especially of Jews.

   Synonyms:

   butchery, slaughter

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pogrom British  

/ ˈpɒɡrəm /

noun

1. an organized persecution or extermination of an ethnic group, esp of Jews

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pogrom Cultural  

1. A massacre or persecution instigated by the government or by the ruling class against a minority group, particularly Jews (see also Jews).

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Pogroms were common in Russia during the nineteenth century.

Etymology

Origin of pogrom

1880–85; (< Yiddish ) < Russian pogróm literally, destruction, devastation (of a town, country, etc., as in war), noun derivative of pogromít’, equivalent to po- perfective prefix + gromít’ to destroy, devastate, derivative of grom thunder

Explanation

The organized destruction of an ethnic group is called a pogrom. The word comes to English via the similar Yiddish and Russian words; pogrom literally means "devastation." In many Russian pogroms in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the mob attacked Jews — burning their homes and synagogues. Thousands of Jews were killed during these attacks, and many more fled them by emigrating to other countries, including the United States. Pogroms against Jews occurred in countries other than Russia, including Argentina, Romania, Poland, and Libya. Other ethnic groups, including Armenians, were also the target of pogroms in the early twentieth century.

Example Sentences

"We thought we were safe. Our grandparents and great grandparents -- Holocaust survivors -- many of them came to here to escape hate and to escape bloodshed, pogrom, persecution," he said.

From Barron's • Dec. 17, 2025

The term "pogrom" refers to violent and organised attacks against Jews, and is particularly associated with pre-Second World War eastern Europe.

From BBC • Oct. 16, 2023

"It's something we used to imagine from our grandfathers, grandmothers in the pogrom in Europe and other places," Israeli Major General Itai Veruv said.

From Reuters • Oct. 10, 2023

She recalled hearing glass shattering on Kristallnacht, the pogrom in November 1938 that marked a turning point in Hitler’s persecution of Jews in Europe.

From Washington Post • Apr. 17, 2023

The pogrom of Balta found but a feeble echo in the immediate neighborhood—in a few localities of the governments of Podolia and Kherson.

From History of the Jews in Russia and Poland. Volume II From the death of Alexander I. until the death of Alexander III. (1825-1894) by Friedlaender, I.

Related Words

• annihilation
• bloodbath
• bloodletting
• butchery
• carnage
• extermination
• genocide