mer·can·til·ism
ˈmər-kən-ˌtē-ˌli-zəm 
-ˌtī-,
-tə-
1
: the theory or practice of mercantile pursuits : commercialism
2
: an economic system developing during the decay of feudalism to unify and increase the power and especially the monetary wealth of a nation by a strict governmental regulation of the entire national economy usually through policies designed to secure an accumulation of bullion (see bullion sense 1), a favorable balance of trade, the development of agriculture and manufactures, and the establishment of foreign trading monopolies (see monopoly sense 1)
plural -s
: an advocate or practitioner of mercantilism
"
variants
or less commonly mercantilistic
: of or relating to the theory or practice of mercantilism
the monopoly chartered companies of the medieval and mercantilist periods—
L. M. Hacker
L. M. HackerExamples of mercantilism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
This is why most economists, ever since Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations was published in 1776, reject mercantilism and all the baggage that goes with it, including tariffs.
—
Steve H. Hanke,
Fortune,
24 Feb. 2026
Yet those very domestic constraints now limit how far states can shift toward neo-mercantilism.
—
Pratap Bhanu Mehta,
Time,
15 Jan. 2026
As for the fifth dimension, China’s power is having a corrosive effect on democracies, including in the United States, which has clumsily adopted measures that resemble the CCP’s mercenary mercantilism.
—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mercantilism
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Noun
Do not assume that every surplus reflects mercantilism or that every deficit reflects recklessness.
—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
This is why most economists, ever since Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations was published in 1776, reject mercantilism and all the baggage that goes with it, including tariffs.
—
Steve H. Hanke,
Fortune,
24 Feb. 2026
Yet those very domestic constraints now limit how far states can shift toward neo-mercantilism.
—
Pratap Bhanu Mehta,
Time,
15 Jan. 2026
As for the fifth dimension, China’s power is having a corrosive effect on democracies, including in the United States, which has clumsily adopted measures that resemble the CCP’s mercenary mercantilism.
—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mercantilism
Cite this Entry
“Mercantilism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mercantilism. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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