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Definition of tokenism

tokenism

/ˈtoʊkənɪzəm/
to · ken · ism
Adverb:tokenistically
•
Adjective:tokenistic
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tokenism Lexical Profile

tokenism Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The practice of making only a perfunctory or symbolic effort to do a particular thing, especially by recruiting a small number of people from underrepresented groups in order to give the appearance of sexual or racial equality within a workforce or organization.

Example

"Critics argued that appointing a single minority representative to the board was mere tokenism rather than a genuine commitment to diversity."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

tokay gecko
toke
token
tokenism
tokenistic
toker
toketee

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in American English in the late 1950s and popularized by civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. in the early 1960s to critique superficial desegregation efforts.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Tokenism. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/tokenism
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