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Definitions

affirmative action

[uh-fur-muh-tiv ak-shuhn] / əˈfɜr mə tɪv ˈæk ʃən /

NOUN

anti-discrimination program

Synonyms

WEAK

anti-discrimination equal opportunity equal rights policy even break fair hiring fair hiring practices fair shake fair treatment limited choice nondiscrimination positive discrimination quota system reverse discrimination

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

While diversity programs have gone by a variety of names over the decades — nondiscrimination, affirmative action, DEI — they all trace their roots to the Civil Rights Movement, which lasted from 1954 to 1968.

From Salon • Jan. 19, 2026

An Associated Press analysis finds that the number of Black students enrolling at many elite colleges has dropped in the two years since the Supreme Court banned affirmative action in admissions.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 25, 2025

Sociologist and demographer Sonalde Desai told me that without a fresh caste census, India's affirmative action policies operate "blindly", relying on outdated colonial data.

From BBC • Nov. 12, 2025

President Trump has issued at least three executive orders aimed at stopping racial discrimination, including affirmative action and disparate-impact analysis.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025

Maybe if I knew what affirmative action was I’d feel uncomfortable, too.

From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden