English

edit

Alternative forms

edit

Etymology

edit

woke +‎ -wash +‎ -ing. Compare greenwashing.

Noun

edit

wokewashing (uncountable)

  1. (derogatory) The use of social justice in marketing campaigns.
    • 2018 August 10, Arwa Mahdawi, “Woke-washing brands cash in on social justice. It’s lazy and hypocritical”, in The Guardian[1]:
      Which means modern brands have started using progressive values as a marketing ploy and are appropriating social activism as a form of advertising. It’s like the “greenwashing” of yore, but on a whole other level. We have, I’m afraid, entered a nauseating new age of woke-washing.

Verb

edit

wokewashing

  1. present participle and gerund of wokewash