careerism

noun

ca·​reer·​ism kə-ˈrir-ˌi-zəm How to pronounce careerism (audio)
: the policy or practice of advancing one's career often at the cost of one's integrity
careerist noun or adjective

Examples of careerism in a Sentence

She was appalled by his careerism.
Recent Examples on the Web Political careerism and pandering to the convenient rhetoric of the moment should be rejected in favor of leaders who are willing to step up and honestly address difficult topics and take on special interests. Destiny Torres, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 The American invasion of Iraq shows that no such coercion is necessary; bureaucratic deference to authority and routine careerism can keep people in line just fine. Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Some scientists have grown increasingly concerned that limited opportunities for young scientists and a problematic system for publishing scientific work has incentivized corner-cutting for careerism. Evan Bush, NBC News, 26 Jan. 2024 The Wrap can’t bring itself to admit that Welker’s left-feminist careerism is used to dress up Meet the Press as serious journalism. Armond White, National Review, 13 Oct. 2023 The film capture the odd twists of fate and careerism that had a band that was getting booed off the stage in Akron clubs suddenly, within a period of years, being welcomed onto the squarest TV shows in America. Chris Willman, Variety, 21 Jan. 2024 That question went to the heart of Scorsese’s careerism, though some viewers fell for the movie’s virtue-signaling hype. Armond White, National Review, 8 Nov. 2023 Proponents of changes to the publishing system often argue that traditional academic journals are gatekeepers and that careerism gives scientists incentives to guide their research to fit the tastes of journal editors, who are often older white men. Evan Bush, NBC News, 26 Oct. 2023 The war had pitted Harvard students’ careerism against their idealism, and in many cases the careerism had won. Eren Orbey, The New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'careerism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1933, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of careerism was in 1933

Dictionary Entries Near careerism

Cite this Entry

“Careerism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/careerism. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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