Stalinism

noun

Sta·​lin·​ism ˈstä-lə-ˌni-zəm How to pronounce Stalinism (audio)
ˈsta-
: the political, economic, and social principles and policies associated with Stalin
especially : the theory and practice of communism developed by Stalin from Marxism-Leninism and marked especially by rigid authoritarianism, widespread use of terror, and often emphasis on Russian nationalism
Stalinist noun or adjective
Stalinize transitive verb
Stalinoid noun or adjective

Examples of Stalinism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Putinism has a chance to outlive Putin, but Russian history, including the history of Stalinism, shows that as soon as an autocrat disappears, a new era of liberalization can begin. Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 22 Aug. 2023 Instead, Russian President Vladimir Putin has revived Stalinism—so effectively, in fact, that in 2019, 70 percent of Russians approved of Stalin and his policies, according to a Levada Center poll. Kaja Kallas, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2022

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

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Stalinism was in 1927

Dictionary Entries Near Stalinism

Cite this Entry

“Stalinism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Stalinism. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Stalinism

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!