mccarthy

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Definition
  1. Proper noun:
    • Joseph McCarthy: A United States politician (1908-1957) who was a U.S. Senator. He is historically significant for his role in making aggressive, unsubstantiated public accusations of communist subversion and espionage against numerous citizens and government officials during the early 1950s, a period known as McCarthyism.
    • Cormac McCarthy: A United States author (1933-2023) known for his novels, which often feature bleak, violent, and apocalyptic themes. He is celebrated for his distinctive prose style and is considered a major figure in American literature.
Usage Examples
  • Proper noun (Joseph McCarthy):

    • The tactics of Senator McCarthy created a climate of fear and suspicion.
    • Many careers were ruined during the McCarthy hearings.
  • Proper noun (Cormac McCarthy):

    • Cormac McCarthy won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel "The Road".
    • The prose in McCarthy's "Blood Meridian" is both brutal and poetic.
Advanced Usage
  • "McCarthyism": (noun) The practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence, especially related to communism. It also refers to the period of intense anti-communist suspicion in the United States during the early 1950s.
    • The term "McCarthyism" is now used more broadly to describe any reckless, unsubstantiated political witch-hunt.
Variants and Related Words
  • McCarthyite (adjective): Relating to or characteristic of McCarthy or McCarthyism.
    • The committee's methods were widely criticized as McCarthyite.
  • McCarthyism (noun): As defined in 'Advanced Usage'.
Synonyms
  • For the era/practices associated with Joseph McCarthy: witch-hunt, red-baiting.
  • For the literary style of Cormac McCarthy: (descriptive terms) stark, minimalist, gothic, southwestern.
Related Phrases/Idioms
  • "Have a McCarthy moment": (informal, historical) To make a sweeping, unsubstantiated accusation against someone, often in a public setting. This phrase directly references Joseph McCarthy's style.
    • The candidate seemed to have a McCarthy moment during the debate, accusing his opponent of treason without evidence.
Noun
  1. United States politician who unscrupulously accused many citizens of being Communists (1908-1957)
  2. United States satirical novelist and literary critic (1912-1989)