divisive speech
Talk that splits
Divisive speech is language intended to create or deepen rifts between groups—by religion, race, politics, or other fault lines.
The term often appears in debates about free expression, where one side sees dangerous incitement and the other sees legitimate disagreement: Critics called the rally divisive speech; supporters called it speaking hard truths.
What counts as divisive depends heavily on who's drawing the line.
- inflammatoryTending to provoke outrage
- polarizingCausing sharp division
- hatefulArousing strong dislike
- rhetoricArt of persuasive language
- culture warConflict over societal values
propaganda · us versus them · vitriol · incitement · toxic · provocation · wedge · discord · slander · mudslinging · fearmongering · demagoguery · tribalism · bigotry · smear · hostile · fighting words · agitation
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