racebending
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
The act of playing the role of, or casting someone in the role of, a character of different race or ethnicity.
Register: derogatory, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Hilarity ensues as the director tries to justify his decision with famous racebending examples from Hollywood (The faux slit-eyes in Cloud Atlas, anyone?).
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “racebending” mean?
The act of playing the role of, or casting someone in the role of, a character of different race or ethnicity.
Is “racebending” formal or informal?
racebending is generally derogatory, slang.