censor
censor — noun
1. a person whose job is to review books, films, news reports, letters, or other me
a person whose job is to review books, films, news reports, letters, or other media and cut or hide parts that are judged too offensive, harmful to national security, or against the law
The government censor removed several paragraphs from Aiko's news article before it went to print.
noun used for a person with official authority
During the war, a military censor read every letter soldiers sent from the front.
military censor — specific role in wartime
The film censor decided that the final scene was too violent for audiences under eighteen.
The school's appointed censor reviewed all library books for age-appropriate content.
- reviewer
a reviewer judges quality or gives an opinion, but does not have power to block publication
- examiner
an examiner inspects to find facts or check standards, not specifically to remove offensive material
- editor
an editor improves a text for publication with the creator's consent; a censor acts with authority, not permission
常見錯誤
2. a computer program or online system that automatically blocks or hides parts of
a computer program or online system that automatically blocks or hides parts of a text, image, video, or message to prevent them from being seen or shared
The school's internet censor blocked Rohan from visiting social media sites during class.
internet censor — common computing context
Yara installed a content censor on her son's tablet to filter out adult material.
The company email censor automatically flags messages that contain confidential project names.
Bao's video upload was stopped by the platform's automatic censor for policy violations.
用法筆記
This sense often appears in phrases such as 'internet censor,' 'content censor,' or 'email censor' to describe automated filtering systems, not human reviewers.
3. an inner mental force or feeling that stops a person from saying or doing things
an inner mental force or feeling that stops a person from saying or doing things they want to, because those things seem rude, too personal, or socially unacceptable
Leila's inner censor stopped her from telling her boss what she thought of his plan.
inner censor — psychological sense
Before the harsh words left Theo's mouth, his mental censor ordered him to stay quiet.
The author's internal censor held back the most personal details from her autobiography.
When a rude joke came to Jin's mind, his inner censor shut it down.
- inhibition
inhibition is a more clinical term for a mental block; inner censor is more figurative and self-imposed
- self-restraint
self-restraint is a conscious choice to hold back; inner censor feels involuntary
用法筆記
Frequently preceded by 'inner,' 'internal,' or 'mental.' This sense is figurative and usually appears in psychological or creative-writing contexts. Distinguish from noun sense 1 (a real person with official authority).
censor — verb
1. to examine a book, film, document, letter, or broadcast and remove or hide parts
to examine a book, film, document, letter, or broadcast and remove or hide parts that are judged offensive, dangerous, secret, or against regulations
The newspaper editor censored the graphic photograph before publishing it online.
active voice: censor + direct object (photograph)
Government officials censored parts of the report that criticized the new policy.
The TV network censored the comedian's joke, replacing a rude word with a beep.
The magazine editor censored the interview by removing all references to the company's financial troubles.
- cut
cut is less formal and does not carry political or moral judgment — you cut a scene for time; you censor it for offensiveness
- edit
edit is a neutral action for improving text; censor implies blocking for a reason of offensiveness or secrecy
- suppress
suppress is broader — it can mean preventing publication entirely, while censor often allows the rest to go ahead
文法句型
censor + noun phrase
用法筆記
Commonly used in passive constructions: 'The film was heavily censored before release.' The person or body doing the censoring is often a government, committee, or media authority.
常見錯誤
2. to hold back what you were about to say or do because you suddenly realize it wo
to hold back what you were about to say or do because you suddenly realize it would be unsuitable, hurtful, too personal, or likely to cause problems
Priya censored herself during the meeting, choosing not to mention her coworker's mistake.
reflexive: censor + oneself
Hana wanted to ask about the rumour but censored herself, seeing her friend's face.
Diego censored his own angry comment, deleting the message instead of pressing send.
Nadia censored herself mid-sentence when she almost revealed the surprise party plans.
- refrain
refrain is more formal and does not carry the same mental-tension feel; censor yourself implies an inner struggle
- bite one's tongue
idiomatic, informal — refers specifically to stopping yourself from speaking
- blurt out
blurt out means to speak suddenly without thinking — the opposite of censoring yourself
文法句型
censor + oneself
censor + what/that clause
用法筆記
Almost always used with a reflexive pronoun ('censor yourself') or possessive ('censor his own words'). The subject chooses to stop their own action — unlike verb sense 1, where an outside authority removes content.