bowdlerizing

verb

present participle of bowdlerize
as in censoring
to remove objectionable parts from a bowdlerized version of "Gulliver's Travels" that purportedly makes it unobjectionable for children

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bowdlerizing
censoring
Verb
  • Equal-time rule doesn’t apply, group says The equal-time rule prohibits broadcast stations from censoring or rejecting political ads paid for and sponsored by legally qualified candidates.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Earlier in the week, Kraft allegedly led a pressure campaign to force the Seattle rapper off Ed Sheeran’s The Loop Tour, igniting a firestorm of backlash from artists and fans accusing Kraft of censoring Macklemore’s free speech.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of censoring
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.

Browse Nearby Words

bowdlerizes
bowdlerizing
bowed
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Cite this Entry

“Bowdlerizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bowdlerizing. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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