Darwinian

adjective

Dar·​win·​i·​an där-ˈwi-nē-ən How to pronounce Darwinian (audio)
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 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 Parking is wildly expensive, traffic is apocalyptic and even making it to the site is like a mass Darwinian experiment. Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2023 At heart, Darwinian beekeeping offended her sense of responsibility as a beekeeper. Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023 And with a little twisting, Darwinian theories of adaptation appeared to show that women had evolved for reproduction and nest building rather than intellectual pursuits. Elaine Weiss, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2019

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.

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Darwinian was in 1859

Dictionary Entries Near Darwinian

Cite this Entry

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

Kids 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

Medical Definition

Darwinian

adjective
Dar·​win·​ian där-ˈwin-ē-ən How to pronounce Darwinian (audio)
: of or relating to Charles Darwin, his theories especially of evolution, or his followers
Darwinian noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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