Meaning & use
racial divide
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Meanings
nouncountable
A large and lasting separation or disagreement between groups of people of different races.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a racial divide', 'the racial divide' or 'racial divides'; it is usually followed by 'between' plus the two groups.
Patterns
- a racial divide between A and B
- the racial divide in a place
- bridge/heal the racial divide
- deepen/widen the racial divide
The report showed that the racial divide in housing has grown over the past decade.
Community leaders are trying to bridge the racial divide between the two neighborhoods.
Opinion polls reveal a racial divide in how people view the police.
nounsingular
A situation in which people of different races have very different living conditions, incomes, or opportunities.
Grammar: Often used with 'the' to talk about the general gap in a society: 'the racial divide in education'.
Patterns
- the racial divide in something
- close/narrow the racial divide
- a widening racial divide
The racial divide in income remains wide despite years of equal-opportunity laws.
She wrote a book about the racial divide in American schools.
Programs aimed at narrowing the racial divide need long-term funding.
Word forms
| plural | racial divides |
|---|
Common combinations
- bridge the racial divide
- The mayor promised to bridge the racial divide with new community programs.
- deepen the racial divide
- Critics say the new voting law will deepen the racial divide.
- a widening racial divide
- A widening racial divide can be seen in test scores across the state.
- heal the racial divide
- The church has worked for years to heal the racial divide in its town.
Synonyms and how they differ
- racial gap
- Similar, but 'gap' usually refers to a measurable difference (in pay, health, etc.), while 'divide' suggests a broader separation or conflict.
- racial tension
- 'Tension' focuses on the feeling of hostility between groups, not the whole social separation.
- segregation
- This means forced or legal separation, a much stronger and more specific idea than a general divide.
Word family
Commonly confused: racial divide or racist?
racial divide vs racist
A 'racist' is a person or action showing prejudice; 'racial' simply means relating to race. A 'racial divide' is not the same as a 'racist divide'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'racial divide' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Only the first sentence uses 'racial divide' as a noun phrase meaning a separation between groups. Option 2 confuses it with the adjective 'racist', option 3 defines it as a person, and option 4 wrongly treats it as a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “racial divide”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.