affirmative action

American  

[uh-fur-muh-tiv ak-shuhn] / əˈfɜr mə tɪv ˈæk ʃən /

noun

1. the encouragement of increased representation of women and minority-group members, especially in employment.

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affirmative action British  

noun

1. Brit equivalent: positive discrimination.  a policy or programme designed to counter discrimination against minority groups and women in areas such as employment and education

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affirmative action Cultural  

1. A term referring to various government policies that aim to increase the proportion of African-Americans, women, and other minorities in jobs and educational institutions historically dominated by white men. The policies usually require employers and institutions to set goals for hiring or admitting minorities.

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Affirmative action has been extremely controversial. Supporters maintain that it is the only way to overcome the effects of past discrimination and promote integration. Critics dismiss it as “reverse discrimination,” denying opportunities to qualified whites and men. (See Bakke decision).

Other Word Forms

• affirmative-action
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of affirmative action

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

affirmative action

India’s long-running debate about affirmative action has a new point of comparison: China.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Karan Mahajan was 6 years old when he saw a family friend lay down in front of a bus during a protest against India’s Mandal Commission affirmative action movement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 23, 2026

While diversity programs have gone by a variety of names over the decades — nondiscrimination, affirmative action, DEI — they all trace their roots to the Civil Rights Movement, which lasted from 1954 to 1968.

From Salon ● Jan. 19, 2026

Sociologist and demographer Sonalde Desai told me that without a fresh caste census, India's affirmative action policies operate "blindly", relying on outdated colonial data.

From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2025

The predictable response is that civil rights advocates are as committed to challenging mass incarceration and other forms of structural racism as they are to preserving affirmative action.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander