Censor: Definition, Usage & Examples Explained

Meaning 1：suppress content (censor)

censor 🔊

/ˈsɛnsər/

vt.

To check books, movies, or other content and remove or hide parts that are considered bad, harmful, or not suitable for people to see.

Illustration of an official censoring text on a document with a red marker

suppress content 🔊

➕

/səˈprɛs ˈkɒntɛnt/

vt.

To officially examine and remove or restrict parts of books, films, news, etc., that are considered objectionable or harmful.

📁 Category：Laws & Regulations 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'censor', an official who assessed, regulated, and supervised public morals and conduct.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of a CENsor as a SENior official who SENds away the bad parts of a message.

📖 Example

The social media platform has a strict policy to censor videos that contain graphic violence. 🔊 Online platforms actively suppress content that violates their community standards against harmful material.

🔗 Collocations

censor content – to screen and control the material being published or broadcast

strictly censor – to apply very rigorous controls and restrictions

censor information – to suppress or alter data and news deemed sensitive

🔄 Synonyms

suppress (vt.) – To prevent something from being published or made known.

redact (vt.) – To edit text for publication by removing or obscuring confidential information.

expurgate (vt.) – To remove material considered offensive or inappropriate from a text.

🚫 Antonyms

publish (vt.) – To prepare and issue material for public distribution or sale.

broadcast (vt.) – To transmit a program or information by radio or television.

🌱 Derivatives

censorship (n.) – The practice of officially examining and suppressing content.

censorial (adj.) – Relating to or acting as a censor.

censorious (adj.) – Severely critical of others.

📖 Cultural Story

In ancient Rome, a censor was a high-ranking official responsible for public morality, census, and finances. The modern verb 'censor' evolved to mean the suppression of information deemed harmful or inappropriate, mirroring the role of monitoring public expression.