Word
censorship
Phoneticscen·sor·ship, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsɛnsɝˌʃɪp/
UK/sˈɛnsəʃˌɪp/
Definitions
01controlling information
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the act of removing or hiding information, books, or films that a government or group thinks are dangerous or offensive.
n. the suppression or prohibition of any parts of books, films, news, or other media that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security.
“The government used strict censorship to stop people from reading news from other countries.”
“The regime's heavy-handed censorship of the internet failed to prevent the spread of information via encrypted messaging apps during the protests.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the general practice; countable when referring to a specific system or instance.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02Roman magistrate office
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Technical · Formal
n. the job or power of a 'censor' in ancient Rome.
n. the office or term of a censor in Ancient Rome, responsible for maintaining the census and supervising public morality.
“He held the censorship for eighteen months and conducted a full census of the city.”
“During his tenure in the censorship, he removed several senators from the rolls for failing to meet the required moral standards.”
Usage
Usually used in historical or academic contexts regarding Roman law.
Real-World Examples
“Slavin said he was dismissed for insubordination after an interview he gave that objected to any potential censorship by the US military .” “The editor-in-chief of US military newspaper Stars and Stripes has told the BBC of his concern over censorship a day after being dismissed by the US Department of Defense (DoD) for "insubordination".” Etymology
From censor + -ship.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/censorship