pogrom

1 of 2

noun

po·​grom pə-ˈgräm How to pronounce pogrom (audio)
-ˈgrəm, 
pō-;
ˈpō-grəm, 
ˈpä- How to pronounce pogrom (audio)
Synonyms of pogromnext
: an organized massacre of helpless people
specifically : such a massacre of Jews

pogrom

2 of 2

verb

pogromed; pogroming; pogroms

transitive verb

: to massacre or destroy in a pogrom

Examples of pogrom in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
America is the ultimate answer to the pogrom, and to the emancipation Europe offered on the condition of relinquishing Jewish ethnic and cultural distinctiveness. — Rory Lancman, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026 A lot of Eastern European Jewish refugees arrived in France after the pogroms and worked as tailors and seamstresses for the couture houses. — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2026 Anti-Jewish riots, or pogroms, swept Russia in the late 19th century. — John Blake, CNN Money, 5 July 2026 Later in the 19th century, pogroms across Eastern Europe and the aftermath of Italian reunification drove a surge of migration to the United States. — Albert Sun, New York Times, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for pogrom

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Yiddish, from Russian, literally, devastation

First Known Use

Noun

1891, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1915, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pogrom was in 1891

Rhymes for pogrom

See All Rhymes for pogrom

Browse Nearby Words

pogo stick
pogrom
pogromist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pogrom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pogrom. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pogrom

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for pogrom

Nglish: Translation of pogrom for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pogrom

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