microaggression
noun
mi·cro·ag·gres·sion
ˌmī-krō-ə-ˈgre-shən 
: a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group (such as a racial minority)
A digital photo project run by a Fordham University student about "racial microaggressions" features minority students holding up signs with comments like "You're really pretty … for a dark-skin girl."—
Jinnie Spiegler
Jinnie SpieglerThere is a real and worthy conversation taking place in this country now, particularly among young people, around the idea of microaggressions—slight, often unintended discriminatory comments or behaviors.—Charles M. Blow
Charles M. Blow
also
: behavior or speech that is characterized by such comments or actions
… argues that the power of microaggression lies in its invisibility to the perpetrator, who typically finds it difficult to believe that he or she possesses biased attitudes. —Emily Skop
Emily Skop
microaggressive
adjective
microaggressive behaviors
… the group quite clearly criticized his teaching as microaggressive.
—Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
microaggressor
noun
Even "microaggressions" websites themselves would be unobjectionable to some of their critics if they merely made the case that certain phrases and behaviors should be avoided. What these critics find objectionable are two other aspects of "microaggressions" culture: attempts to publicly shame "microaggressors;" and attempts to punish alleged "microaggressors" by reporting them to the authorities.
—Conor Friedersdorf
Conor Friedersdorf
Examples of microaggression in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The moment of recognition is fleeting but will soon enough be pivotal to the show — especially as it is cushioned by many a microaggression on both women (one Black, one Jewish) at the hands of the busybody store employees.
—Manuel Betancourt, Vulture, 19 July 2024
Jasmine Crockett Social media’s favorite congresswoman Jasmine Crockett went viral this year after clapping back at Marjorie Taylor Greene, who made fun of her false eyelashes — a racist microaggression — during a House Oversight Committee meeting.
—Katherine Singh, refinery29.com, 5 Sep. 2024
While technically true, this isn’t really what most people would consider to be a microaggression.
—WIRED, 7 Oct. 2023
Related: Is ‘ladies’ a microaggression?
—Adria Watson, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Apr. 2023
See all Example Sentences for microaggression 
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Manuel Betancourt, Vulture, 19 July 2024
Jasmine Crockett Social media’s favorite congresswoman Jasmine Crockett went viral this year after clapping back at Marjorie Taylor Greene, who made fun of her false eyelashes — a racist microaggression — during a House Oversight Committee meeting.
—Katherine Singh, refinery29.com, 5 Sep. 2024
While technically true, this isn’t really what most people would consider to be a microaggression.
—WIRED, 7 Oct. 2023
Related: Is ‘ladies’ a microaggression?
—Adria Watson, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Apr. 2023
See all Example Sentences for microaggression
Dictionary Entries Near microaggression
Cite this Entry
“Microaggression.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microaggression. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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