Ku Klux Klan

noun

ˈkü-ˈkləks-ˈklan How to pronounce Ku Klux Klan (audio)
also ˈkyü-
or ˈklü-
1
: a violent secret fraternal society founded in 1915 in Georgia to maintain white Protestant cultural and political power
also : any one of more than 20 hate (see hate entry 1 sense 1c) groups that associate themselves with the Ku Klux Klan
2
: a violent post-Civil War secret society founded in Tennessee in 1866 to upend the Black political and social power that was being established during Reconstruction

Note: This Ku Klux Klan had largely dissolved by the end of the 1870s.

Examples of Ku Klux Klan 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.
Police and the El Paso, Texas, branch of the NAACP are condemning a group of people, possibly including youths, who were shown wearing Ku Klux Klan-style white robes and hoods in viral social media videos. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 27 Oct. 2026 By the 1920s, it was estimated that one out of seven Long Islanders belonged to the Ku Klux Klan. — Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026 Howard's tennis club said those actions fell short of being fully accountable for the distribution of the racist imagery, which included a graphic that depicted Ku Klux Klan hoods. — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 More images in the post showed a drawing of a Ku Klux Klan hood being shot and lists of enemy groups that included the Proud Boys, the Community of Police Supporters Northwest, and neo-Nazis. — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Ku Klux Klan

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of Ku Klux Klan was in 1867

Rhymes for Ku Klux Klan

See All Rhymes for Ku Klux Klan

Browse Nearby Words

Ku Kluxism
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klansman
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Cite this Entry

“Ku Klux Klan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Ku%20Klux%20Klan. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on Ku Klux Klan

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Ku Klux Klan

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