censor

censor — noun

1. a person whose job is to review books, films, news reports, letters, or other me

1.nounB2
Definition

a person whose job is to review books, films, news reports, letters, or other media and cut or hide parts that are judged too offensive, harmful to national security, or against the law

Example

The government censor removed several paragraphs from Aiko's news article before it went to print.

noun used for a person with official authority

During the war, a military censor read every letter soldiers sent from the front.

military censor — specific role in wartime

Common collocations
  • government censor
  • military censor
  • film censor
  • appointed censor
  • official censor
Synonyms
  • reviewer

    a reviewer judges quality or gives an opinion, but does not have power to block publication

  • examiner

    an examiner inspects to find facts or check standards, not specifically to remove offensive material

  • editor

    an editor improves a text for publication with the creator's consent; a censor acts with authority, not permission

Common Mistakes

The censor edited my essay for grammar.
The editor corrected my essay for grammar.
a censor blocks content for moral or political reasons, not for language mistakes.

2. a computer program or online system that automatically blocks or hides parts of

2.nounB2
Definition

a computer program or online system that automatically blocks or hides parts of a text, image, video, or message to prevent them from being seen or shared

Example

The school's internet censor blocked Rohan from visiting social media sites during class.

internet censor — common computing context

Yara installed a content censor on her son's tablet to filter out adult material.

Common collocations
  • internet censor
  • content censor
  • email censor
  • automatic censor
Synonyms
  • filter

    a filter is a broader term that can block spam or sort data; a censor specifically targets offensive or secret material

  • blocker

    informal; a blocker stops access entirely, while a censor may also hide only parts of content

Usage Note

This sense often appears in phrases such as 'internet censor,' 'content censor,' or 'email censor' to describe automated filtering systems, not human reviewers.

3. an inner mental force or feeling that stops a person from saying or doing things

3.nounC1
Definition

an inner mental force or feeling that stops a person from saying or doing things they want to, because those things seem rude, too personal, or socially unacceptable

Example

Leila's inner censor stopped her from telling her boss what she thought of his plan.

inner censor — psychological sense

Before the harsh words left Theo's mouth, his mental censor ordered him to stay quiet.

Common collocations
  • inner censor
  • internal censor
  • mental censor
Synonyms
  • inhibition

    inhibition is a more clinical term for a mental block; inner censor is more figurative and self-imposed

  • self-restraint

    self-restraint is a conscious choice to hold back; inner censor feels involuntary

Usage Note

Frequently preceded by 'inner,' 'internal,' or 'mental.' This sense is figurative and usually appears in psychological or creative-writing contexts. Distinguish from noun sense 1 (a real person with official authority).

censor — verb

Word family

  • censorship
    nounB2
  • censorious
    adjectiveC1
  • censored
    adjectiveB2
  • uncensored
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A censor, a reviewer, an editor, and an examiner all look at content, but they do so with different goals and powers. A censor has authority to block or remove material judged offensive, dangerous, or secret — the censor acts for the government or an institution, not the creator. A reviewer gives a personal opinion on quality, value, or performance (e.g. a film reviewer writes a review), without any power to stop publication. An editor works with the creator to improve grammar, style, and structure before publication, usually with the creator's agreement. An examiner checks whether something meets a set of standards or rules, like a safety examiner inspecting a building. For example, a government censor cuts scenes from a film for political reasons; a film reviewer says whether the film is good; a script editor helps the writer improve the dialogue; and a safety examiner checks if the cinema's fire exits are working.

censor ↗reviewereditor ↗examiner ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • act as a censor
  • serve as a censor
  • censor for political reasons

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'censor' comes directly from Latin 'censor', the title of a Roman magistrate whose duties included conducting the census and supervising public morals. The Latin root 'censere' means 'to assess, estimate, or judge.' The English word was first used in the 1530s to refer to these Roman officials, and by the late 1500s it had broadened to describe any official who examines and suppresses objectionable material.