American Civil Liberties Union

American  

noun

1. an organization founded in 1920 to defend the civil rights of all U.S. citizens. ACLU, A.C.L.U.

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American Civil Liberties Union Cultural  

1. An organization founded in 1920 in the wake of the red scare to defend civil liberties. The ACLU has often defended the rights of individuals aligned with unpopular causes, including American communists and Nazis.

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Example Sentences

More than 120 US civil rights organizations, including the influential American Civil Liberties Union, issued a "travel advisory" in April warning of the "risk of serious rights violations" to fans, players, journalists and other visitors.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

The coalition, which includes the American Civil Liberties Union, has called on Fifa to put pressure on US authorities "to respect the fundamental human rights of every person visiting and attending the games".

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union, Public Counsel, other groups and private attorneys filed the lawsuit — now known as Vasquez Perdomo vs.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

Soon after the American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Celia Wang began her argument, Trump abruptly rose and left.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2026

The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit claiming the study violated the boys’ civil rights and breached confidentiality of doctor-patient relationships by releasing results to state and juvenile courts.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot