Darwinian
adjective
Dar·win·i·an
där-ˈwi-nē-ən 
1
: of or relating to Charles Darwin, his theories especially of evolution, or his followers
2
: of, relating to, or being a competitive environment or situation in which only the fittest persons or organizations prosper
Darwinian
noun
Examples of Darwinian in a Sentence
a Darwinian approach to evolution
The competition among manufacturers is very Darwinian.
the Darwinian world of professional sports
Recent Examples on the Web
Her rabbits, kittens, mice and squirrels are anthropomorphized, but there is a ruthless, survival-of-the-fittest ethos always in the background, creating a surreal fusion of quaint, cozy English domesticity and stern, Darwinian rigor.
—
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
About the impact of the unearthing of the dinosaurs and other fossils, of Darwinian evolution, of geology’s discovery of deep time.
—William Deresiewicz, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024
Of course, as with any emerging pursuit, Darwinian selection will have its say on the ultimate survivors.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 Mar. 2024
The story itself is ludicrous, centering around the Mishima family, a lineage of martial artists/corporate criminals perpetually hell bent on patricide as sons, fathers, grandfathers, and even great grandfathers take a Darwinian approach to parenting in the struggle to maintain power.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2024
Elite sport is unapologetically cutthroat, inherently Darwinian.
—Rory Smith, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2024
This introduced Darwinian natural selection to his idea of the cosmos: Whether or not a particular kind of universe proliferates depends on its fitness.
—Adam Frank, Discover Magazine, 12 July 2023
In a Darwinian process, psychotherapy as a stipulated process might stridently ebb and flow as the times change.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023
Although much of the sizzle here comes from the Thompson twins, this six-part series also looks at other kids who won’t hear their names called on draft day, a reminder that this is a Darwinian process, where only the privileged few make it to the next level.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 12 Sep. 2023
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
About the impact of the unearthing of the dinosaurs and other fossils, of Darwinian evolution, of geology’s discovery of deep time.
—William Deresiewicz, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024
Of course, as with any emerging pursuit, Darwinian selection will have its say on the ultimate survivors.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 Mar. 2024
The story itself is ludicrous, centering around the Mishima family, a lineage of martial artists/corporate criminals perpetually hell bent on patricide as sons, fathers, grandfathers, and even great grandfathers take a Darwinian approach to parenting in the struggle to maintain power.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2024
Elite sport is unapologetically cutthroat, inherently Darwinian.
—Rory Smith, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2024
This introduced Darwinian natural selection to his idea of the cosmos: Whether or not a particular kind of universe proliferates depends on its fitness.
—Adam Frank, Discover Magazine, 12 July 2023
In a Darwinian process, psychotherapy as a stipulated process might stridently ebb and flow as the times change.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023
Although much of the sizzle here comes from the Thompson twins, this six-part series also looks at other kids who won’t hear their names called on draft day, a reminder that this is a Darwinian process, where only the privileged few make it to the next level.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 12 Sep. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Darwinian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near Darwinian
Cite this Entry
“Darwinian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Darwinian. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
Darwinian
adjective
Dar·win·ian
där-ˈwin-ē-ən
: of or relating to Charles Darwin, his theories especially of evolution, or his followers
Darwinian
noun
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