identity politics

American

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

political activity or movements based on or catering to the cultural, ethnic, gender, racial, religious, or social interests that characterize a group identity.

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.

How do you make sense of that as we consider the limitations of identity politics today?

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2025

It may be more useful to think of identity politics not as something everyone does, but as a political strategy.

From Salon • Aug. 4, 2024

This is not about identity politics but ennui: Even minuscule choices, like what socks to wear, are part of a larger cultural self-definition and viral conversation.

From Slate • Aug. 3, 2024

First, the director George C. Wolfe outlined a vision of art unconstrained by identity politics, saying he learned from his parents that honoring his birth culture didn’t mean failing to connect with others.

From New York Times • Jun. 17, 2024

Becoming a doctor had really been my parents’ dream, not mine, and now I was ready to deep-dive into my own identity politics, from race to religion.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023