politically incorrect
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of politically incorrect
1875–80 (in the sense “mocking convention”); 1975–80 for the more recent meaning, which evolved from earlier Communist uses in the 1920s
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.
Greg, clueless about just how politically incorrect he can be without even trying, gets chastised several times, though the circumstances are deliberately exaggerated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 5, 2026
Encouraged to reveal themselves “authentically,” stars can find themselves prodded by fans to comment on current events and excoriated when they refuse or respond in a way that certain followers consider insincere or politically incorrect.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2025
At the time Humphries used Edna, a dull housewife with decidedly politically incorrect views on foreigners, as a satire on his experience of growing up in the conservative suburbs of Melbourne.
From BBC ● Apr. 22, 2023
A statement on its website says it is “known for its editorial feistiness” and “was politically incorrect long before the phrase was coined.”
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 16, 2023
My people tell me, “Sir, that’s politically incorrect to say.”
From New York Times ● Nov. 16, 2022
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
