romanticism

noun

ro·​man·​ti·​cism rō-ˈman-tə-ˌsi-zəm How to pronounce romanticism (audio)
rə-
1
often capitalized
a(1)
: a literary, artistic, and philosophical movement originating in the 18th century, characterized chiefly by a reaction against neoclassicism and an emphasis on the imagination and emotions, and marked especially in English literature by sensibility and the use of autobiographical material, an exaltation of the primitive and the common man, an appreciation of external nature, an interest in the remote, a predilection for melancholy, and the use in poetry of older verse forms
(2)
: an aspect of romanticism
b
: adherence to a romantic attitude or style
2
: the quality or state of being romantic
romanticist noun often capitalized

Examples of romanticism in a Sentence

Try not to discourage the romanticism of college students.
Recent Examples on the Web Daniela Melchior, who takes the Kelly Lynch role (the local physician who falls for Dalton), amps up the tough-nut romanticism. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 Brokeback Mountain makes great use of Gyllenhaal's inherent romanticism, utilizing his loving gaze at every possible juncture as the outgoing Jack. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024 In the spirit of true romanticism, there may even be time for a little meet-cute with one of my fellow travelers. Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 2 Jan. 2024 Goldbeck has a wry, biting style to her work, which can at times overshadow the book’s inherent romanticism. EW.com, 16 Nov. 2023 It is meant on the one hand to achieve a high level of realism and on the other to echo the romanticism of the pre-revisionist World War II films that producers Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman would have grown up watching rerun on television. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2024 Its soaring melodies are the epitome of romanticism. Patrick Neas, Kansas City Star, 19 Jan. 2024 Spend a night at Lost Creek Ranch & Spa to experience the romanticism of the Old West against the backdrop of Teton views. Molly O'Brien, Travel + Leisure, 6 Jan. 2024 Killers of the Flower Moon actor Lily Gladstone played the sequin card early on in custom emerald Rodarte–a brand known for its dark romanticism. Alice Newbold, Vogue, 5 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'romanticism.' 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

1821, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of romanticism was in 1821

Dictionary Entries Near romanticism

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

romanticism

noun
ro·​man·​ti·​cism rō-ˈmant-ə-ˌsiz-əm How to pronounce romanticism (audio)
1
often capitalized : a literary and artistic movement marked chiefly by an emphasis on the imagination and emotions
2
: the quality or state of being romantic
romanticist noun often capitalized

More from Merriam-Webster on romanticism

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