pogrom
Americannoun
noun
Discover More
Pogroms were common in Russia during the nineteenth century.
Etymology
Origin of pogrom
1880–85; (< Yiddish ) < Russian pogróm literally, destruction, devastation (of a town, country, etc., as in war), noun derivative of pogromít’, equivalent to po- perfective prefix + gromít’ to destroy, devastate, derivative of grom thunder
Explanation
The organized destruction of an ethnic group is called a pogrom. The word comes to English via the similar Yiddish and Russian words; pogrom literally means "devastation." In many Russian pogroms in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the mob attacked Jews — burning their homes and synagogues. Thousands of Jews were killed during these attacks, and many more fled them by emigrating to other countries, including the United States. Pogroms against Jews occurred in countries other than Russia, including Argentina, Romania, Poland, and Libya. Other ethnic groups, including Armenians, were also the target of pogroms in the early twentieth century.
Vocabulary lists containing pogrom
The Diary of a Young Girl
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Wonder
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Maus I: My Father Bleeds History
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The term "pogrom" refers to violent attacks against Jews because of their religion.
From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026
Shlomo Mansour was born in Baghdad and as a child survived the Farhud pogrom against the Iraqi capital's Jewish community in 1941.
From BBC • Feb. 11, 2025
"It pains me to say this just two days before the anniversary of Kristallnacht," said Felix Klein government commissioner for tackling antisemitism, referring to a 1938 pogrom.
From Reuters • Nov. 7, 2023
She recalled hearing glass shattering on Kristallnacht, the pogrom in November 1938 that marked a turning point in Hitler’s persecution of Jews in Europe.
From Washington Post • Apr. 17, 2023
When the July pogroms were over, it seemed as if the pogrom epidemic had died out, and no one expected that it would soon break out afresh.
From History of the Jews in Russia and Poland. Volume II From the death of Alexander I. until the death of Alexander III. (1825-1894) by Friedlaender, I.
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.
