race riot

noun

: a riot caused by racial dissensions or hatreds

Examples of race riot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When it was discovered that this courthouse had been the site of a lynching and a race riot, this promise took on a particularly sinister character. — Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2026 But after the 1967 race riots ripped apart the city’s social contract, enrollment declined and racial attitudes hardened. — Anthony Depalma, Mercury News, 22 May 2026 The riots took place over several days and were a part of what became known as the long, hot summer of 1967, which saw more than 150 race riots across the United States. — USA Today, 29 June 2026 Anti-Chinese sentiments led to a race riot on October 1, 1880 in which 28-year-old Look Young was lynched. — Esther Tseng, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for race riot

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of race riot was in 1890

Rhymes for race riot

See All Rhymes for race riot

Browse Nearby Words

racer
race riot
race rotation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Race riot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/race%20riot. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on race riot

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about race riot

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All