Islamism

noun

Is·​lam·​ism is-ˈlä-ˌmi-zəm How to pronounce Islamism (audio)
iz-,
-ˈla-;
ˈiz-lə-
1
: the faith, doctrine, or cause of Islam
2
: a popular reform movement advocating the reordering of government and society in accordance with laws prescribed by Islam
Islamist
is-ˈlä-mist How to pronounce Islamism (audio)
iz-
-ˈla-;
ˈiz-lə-
noun

Examples of Islamism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Egypt, which has moved to Islamism with a constitution referring to sharia as the source of law since 1980, and Saudi Arabia, which has recently become less Islamist and more nationalist through Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s reforms, are now regional allies. Ahmet T. Kuru, The Conversation, 1 Mar. 2024 An entire generation of axis fighters has been brought up in Iran’s unique brand of Islamism, with its emphasis on the Islamic Republic as the headquarters of a multinational army that will supposedly one day bring about the downfall of Israel. Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 12 Jan. 2024 Hussein al-Houthi, born in 1959, studied in Sudan – where he was exposed to radical Islamism in the form of the Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qa'eda – and lived in Iran, where he was greatly influenced by Ayatollah Khomeini. Elliott Goat, The Week Uk, theweek, 18 Jan. 2024 Erdoğan and populist Islamism In his first decade in power, Erdoğan received the support of the Atatürkist establishment’s discontents. Ahmet T. Kuru, The Conversation, 25 Apr. 2023 Young Iranians can have no illusions about the mix of misogyny, anti-Semitism, and Islamism that Hamas and Iran’s rulers share. Roya Hakakian, The Atlantic, 22 Nov. 2023 The Brotherhood, founded in 1928, departed from Islamic tradition and created Islamism, a totalitarian ideology to resist the pluralist West. Ed Husain, WSJ, 9 Nov. 2023 The failure to acknowledge & confront Islamism, antisemitism, and anti-Western values among some of our Muslim communities. Benjamin Weinthal, Fox News, 23 Oct. 2023 Throughout his tenure on both courts, the justice built a reputation for his commitment to progressive Islamism, fierce condemnations of those in power, and protection of religious minorities. Hasan Ali, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Sep. 2023

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

1747, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Islamism was in 1747

Dictionary Entries Near Islamism

Cite this Entry

“Islamism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Islamism. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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