cen·sor
ˈsen(t)-sər 
1
: a person who supervises conduct and morals: such as
a
: an official who examines materials (such as publications or films) for objectionable matter
Government censors deleted all references to the protest.
b
: an official (as in time of war) who reads communications (such as letters) and deletes material considered sensitive or harmful
2
: one of two magistrates of early Rome acting as census takers, assessors, and inspectors of morals and conduct
Cato the Censor accused Africanus and his senior officers of running an army riddled with moral laxity—
Colleen McCullough
Colleen McCullough3
: a hypothetical psychic agency that represses unacceptable notions before they reach consciousness
censored; censoring
ˈsen(t)-sə-riŋ
ˈsen(t)s-riŋ
: to examine in order to suppress (see suppress sense 2) or delete anything considered objectionable
censor the news
also
: to suppress or delete as objectionable
censor out indecent passages
Synonyms
Examples of censor in a Sentence
Noun
Government censors deleted all references to the protest.
Verb
The station censored her speech before broadcasting it.
His report was heavily censored.
Recent Examples on the WebNectar Gan, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024
The result was a prosecution of the Royal Court, which ended with a district magistrate deciding that the theater had indeed flouted the censor.
—Benedict Nightingale, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for censor 
Noun
But most of Mo’s works, composed during a period of relative openness in China, were able to pass censors – and some of them went on to win major domestic literary awards.
—Nectar Gan, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024
The result was a prosecution of the Royal Court, which ended with a district magistrate deciding that the theater had indeed flouted the censor.
—Benedict Nightingale, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for censor
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'censor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near censor
Cite this Entry
“Censor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/censor. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
censor
1 of 2 noun
cen·sor
ˈsen(t)-sər
: an official who checks materials (as publications or movies) to take out things thought to be objectionable
censor
2 of 2 verb
censored; censoring
ˈsen(t)s-(ə-)riŋ
: to examine in order to prevent publication or take out things thought to be objectionable
also
: to delete things thought to be objectionable
Medical Definition
censor
noun
cen·sor
ˈsen(t)-sər
: a hypothetical psychic agency that represses unacceptable notions before they reach consciousness
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