Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
whitelash

whitelash

1 9.9
An angry reaction by some White people against Black people and other minorities gaining rights
  • noun
  • /ˈwaɪtˌlæʃ/
  • NSFW
translation icon : reacción blanca
  • The protest was seen by many as a whitelash against new diversity initiatives.

Examples

  • The whitelash is alarming.

  • Some commentators described the election results as a clear case of whitelash.

  • Historians debate whether the policy changes were prompted by economic issues or by whitelash.

  • There was a significant whitelash after the protests.

  • The election results revealed a strong whitelash against the progress made in civil rights.

  • Many activists believe that the rise in hate crimes is a reactionary whitelash to the advancements of minority groups.

  • The recent demonstrations highlighted the ongoing struggle against whitelash in the face of racial equality movements.

Synonyms

white backlash
vswhitelash
  • NSFW
1 8.5

An angry reaction by some white people against progress toward equal rights for Black people

includes hostile reactions to advances for Black people and other minorities

Antonyms

acceptance
104 2.7

Being approved or welcomed by other people

Surface Forms

whitelash singular
whitelashes plural

Morphology

whitelash = white + lash (semi-transparent) = white + lash

Formally a straightforward compound 'white' + 'lash', but the sociopolitical neologism (analogous to 'backlash') requires awareness of that metaphor and contemporary usage.

Etymology

The word whitelash joins white and backlash. A 'backlash' is a strong negative or angry reaction, so whitelash means an angry reaction by some white people against advances in civil rights for Black people or other minorities.