Censure vs Censor: Which One Do You Need?
To censure is to criticise formally. To censor is to cut material out.
The board censured him. The scene was censored.
The test that settles it
Ask what happened to the words. If they were removed, that is censor. If a person was condemned, that is censure.
“the committee ___ the minister” → condemned him, so censured.
“the letters were ___” → parts were removed, so censored.
Censure: formal criticism
A strong, usually official expression of disapproval. It works as both verb and noun, and its target is a person or an action.
Parliament voted to censure the minister.
The report drew widespread censure.
He was censured for his conduct.
Swap in condemn or reprimand. If it works, censure.
Censor: to suppress material
To examine something and remove the parts judged unacceptable. As a noun, the official who does it.
The film was heavily censored.
Wartime letters passed through a censor.
They accused the platform of censoring the post.
Swap in suppress or cut. If it works, censor.
Side by side
| Censure | Censor |
|---|---|
| Condemn a person | Remove material |
| Ends -ure | Ends -or |
| Verb and noun for the act | Verb and noun for the official |
| Censured by the board | Censored by the state |
The exceptions
A censer is the container in which incense is burned. It has nothing to do with either word and appears mostly in writing about religious ceremony.
Censorious means severely critical, and belongs with censure in feeling even though it is spelled like censor. Censorial relates to the office of a censor. The pair catch out even careful writers.
Where people get it wrong
| Incorrect | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The committee censored the mayor. | The committee censured the mayor. | They condemned him. |
| The newspaper was censured before printing. | The newspaper was censored before printing. | Material was removed. |
| a motion of censor | a motion of censure | The formal parliamentary term. |
| government censureship | government censorship | Built on censor. |
Practice — choose the right word, then check yourself.
- The council formally ___ the developer.
- Several passages were ___ from the diary.
- A vote of ___ was tabled.
- Wartime letters were read by a ___.
- The regime is accused of ___.
Show the answers
1. censured 2. censored 3. censure 4. censor 5. censorship
Frequently asked
Which is more common?
Censor and censorship, by a wide margin. Censure appears mostly in political and disciplinary contexts.
Do they share a root?
Yes. Both come from the Roman censor, an official who kept the register of citizens and judged their conduct — which is how one word ended up meaning to judge and the other to suppress.
More words people confuse
