Genocide: meaning, definitions and examples

Used to describe the systematic and intentional destruction of an entire ethnic, national, racial, or religious group.

• The international community condemned the genocide that took place during the conflict.
• Historians are still studying the causes and consequences of the genocide.

Describes the brutal and indiscriminate killing of a large number of people, often civilians, in a single event.

• The village was the site of a terrible massacre during the conflict.
• Witnesses recalled the horror of the massacre that claimed so many lives.

Specifically refers to the systematic genocide of six million Jews during World War II by Nazi Germany. It can also mean complete destruction or devastation by fire.

• The Holocaust is one of the darkest periods in human history.
• The wildfire caused a holocaust of the forest.

Refers to the complete destruction or elimination of a group, often used in the context of unwanted pests or, more negatively, for humans in a dehumanizing manner.

• The regime initiated the extermination of political dissidents.
• Efforts were made for the extermination of the invasive species.

Use when referring to the deliberate and systematic extermination of a particular group of people, often based on ethnicity, religion, or nationality. It is a legal term often used in international law.

• The international community was in outrage over the genocide committed during the conflict

Use when describing the intentional and systematic removal of an ethnic or religious group from a particular area through various means such as forced displacement, intimidation, or even mass killing. It's a term often used in political and military contexts.

• The international tribunal classified the acts as ethnic cleansing due to the targeted removal of the minority community

Use when referring to the killing of a large number of people, generally in a single event or over a short period of time. It is less specific about the motive and can be used in various contexts, from criminal actions to acts of terrorism.

• The mass murder at the concert was a horrifying tragedy

Use when describing extremely cruel or inhuman acts, typically on a large scale, but not necessarily aimed at exterminating an entire group. This word has a broader and more general application and often carries a strong negative connotation.

• The reports of atrocities committed during the war shocked the world