bigotry

noun

big·​ot·​ry ˈbi-gə-trē 

plural bigotries

1

: obstinate or narrow-minded adherence to one's own opinions and prejudices : the state of mind of a bigot

overcoming his own bigotry

Religious bigotry, then, did not decide this election, and Kennedy became the first Roman Catholic president.

—Mary Beth Norton et al.

2

: acts or beliefs characteristic of a bigot

racial bigotry

will not tolerate bigotry in our organization

Synonyms of bigotry

• intolerance
• prejudice
• sectarianism
• dogmatism
• illiberality
• bias
• narrow-mindedness
• illiberalism
• partisanship
• small-mindedness

Examples of bigotry in a Sentence

a deeply ingrained bigotry prevented her from even considering the counterarguments

Recent Examples on the Web

They are filled with hateful bigotry and toxic and dangerous lies. —Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026

Jones has vowed to keep broadcasting through a new company he’s founded and remains an inflammatory and notable figure in the far-right media system after decades of spouting falsehoods and bigotry. —Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026

Dahl is also remembered for his bigotry — editions of his children’s books have been edited to take out fatphobic and misogynist comments, and the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory had to be tweaked so the title character didn’t come off as a plantation owner. —Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2026

Their gigantic bigotry drowns out their smaller accomplishments. —Alan M. Dershowitz, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see bigot

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bigotry

noun

big·​ot·​ry ˈbig-ə-trē 

plural bigotries

1

: the state of mind of a bigot

2

: behavior or beliefs characteristic of a bigot