patriotism

noun

pa·​tri·​ot·​ism ˈpā-trē-ə-ˌti-zəm 

chiefly British ˈpa-

: love for or devotion to one's country

Although poles apart ideologically, they are both unashamed of their patriotism.

—Christopher Hemphill

Synonyms of patriotism

• nationalism

Examples of patriotism in a Sentence

You may not agree with him politically, but no one can question his patriotism.

They supported the war with a fierce patriotism.

Recent Examples on the Web

Every Fourth of July, Americans celebrate the birth of the United States with fireworks, parades, concerts, family gatherings, and an outpouring of sometimes temporary patriotism. — Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

The United States against Bosnia-Herzegovina is poised to become the most-bet World Cup game in American history, as bettors continue to embrace the global game and demonstrate patriotism by backing the home team. — Doug Kezirian, New York Times, 1 July 2026

Vanilla Ice is all about sharing his patriotism with his fans. — Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026

Some say displaying the flag is more about peer pressure than patriotism. — Kaylah Jackson, NBC news, 29 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1716, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for patriotism

• autism
• fascism
• racism
• sikhism
• sophism
• statism
• sufism
• thomism
• tourism
• tropism
• abolitionism
• aldosteronism

Kids Definition

patriotism

noun

pa·​tri·​ot·​ism ˈpā-trē-ə-ˌtiz-əm 

: love of one's own country