Word
discrimination
Meanings
Unfair or unequal treatment of people based on characteristics such as race, sex, age, religion, disability, or sexuality.
The ability to recognize and judge differences clearly and accurately; good judgment and taste.
Definition
Discrimination is unfair treatment of people based on characteristics such as race, gender, age, or disability.
Discrimination is treating someone worse than others because they belong to a particular group or have a certain characteristic. It can happen in workplaces, schools, housing, and everyday interactions. Discrimination may be direct (openly unequal treatment) or indirect (rules that seem neutral but disadvantage certain people).
Examples
- The company introduced transparent promotion criteria to reduce discrimination in hiring and advancement.
- She spoke openly about discrimination she had faced at school and how it shaped her confidence.
- They collected anonymous feedback to identify subtle discrimination in everyday team interactions.
- I challenged discrimination when I heard it framed as a joke in the meeting.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse discrimination (unfair treatment) with distinction (a difference), so be careful to choose the correct word.
More at C1 level
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