1. instances of removing or altering words, passages, or content from a text to make it less offensive or more suitable for a particular audience, especially by censoring sexual or profane material
Usage: plural form; named after Thomas Bowdler, an 18th-century editor; often used critically to describe excessive or inappropriate censorship

Examples

• The film contained several bowdlerisms that changed the meaning of the original novel.
• Critics argued that the bowdlerisms in the children's edition removed important historical context.
• The publisher's bowdlerisms of classic literature sparked debate about censorship in education.
• Many bowdlerisms from the Victorian era now seem quaint and unnecessary.
• The director refused to accept the studio's proposed bowdlerisms of the screenplay.
• Scholars study bowdlerisms to understand how different eras approached sensitive content.