fascism

fas·cism | \ ˈfa-ˌshi-zəm also ˈfa-ˌsi-

Definition of fascism

1 often capitalized : a political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition

2 : a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control early instances of army fascism and brutality— J. W. Aldridge

Other Words from fascism The Italian Origin of Fascism More Example Sentences Learn More about fascism

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The Italian Origin of Fascism

The English words fascism and fascist are borrowings from Italian fascismo and fascista, derivatives of fascio (plural fasci), “bundle, fasces, group.” Fascista was first used in 1914 to refer to members of a fascio, or political group. In 1919, fascista was applied to the black-shirted members of Benito Mussolini’s organization, the Fasci di combattimento (“combat groups”), who seized power in Italy in 1922. Playing on the word fascista, Mussolini’s party adopted the fasces, a bundle of rods with an ax among them, as a symbol of the Italian people united and obedient to the single authority of the state. The English word fascist was first used for members of Mussolini’s fascisti, but it has since been generalized to those of similar beliefs.

Examples of fascism in a Sentence

From the first hours of Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union, the propagandists on both sides of the conflict portrayed the struggle in stark, Manichaean language. The totalitarian nature of both regimes made this inevitable. On one side stood Hitler, fascism, the myth of German supremacy; on the other side stood Stalin, communism, and the international proletarian revolution. — Anne Applebaum, New York Review of Books, 25 Oct. 2007 Consider what happened during the crisis of global fascism. At first, even the truth about Hitler was inconvenient. Many in the west hoped the danger would simply go away. — Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, 2006 He collected stories about groups similar to his—Aryans, other Nazis, the KKK. Lately, he'd been flagging many stories from Germany and Eastern Europe, and was quite thrilled with the rise of fascism there. — John Grisham, The Chamber, 1995 the rise of Fascism in Europe before World War II

Recent Examples on the Web The actor, who plays Lenny Bruce on 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,' heads the cast of Christopher Shinn's timely new adaptation of the Odon von Horvath drama about the rise of fascism. — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, "Emmy-Winner Luke Kirby to Lead 'Judgment Day' on New York Stage," 16 Oct. 2019 Americans were struggling through an economic depression, especially in the first half of the decade, and many watched the rise of European fascism and Nazism with increasing trepidation. — Washington Post, "As scholars tried to flee the Nazis, U.S. universities closed their doors," 9 Jan. 2020 The dangers of resurgent fascism and environmental catastrophe do not go unnoticed. — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, "Opera Against the Patriarchy," 30 Dec. 2019 In 1939 Mexico’s left-wing president, Lázaro Cárdenas, opened the door to Spaniards fleeing fascism at the end of the civil war. — The Economist, "Schumpeter The agonising dilemma of Spanish firms in Latin America," 5 Dec. 2019 Yet fascism and communism also posed a dire threat to something so elemental to society that political thinkers of earlier generations had barely needed to take account of it: the very idea of truth. — The Economist, "Open Future Is liberalism really kaput?," 4 Dec. 2019 Described as part moral fable, part sociopolitical comedy and part noirish thriller, the drama turns its cautionary gaze on the rise of fascism and its dangers. — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, "Emmy-Winner Luke Kirby to Lead 'Judgment Day' on New York Stage," 16 Oct. 2019 During the Cold War, the powers that defeated fascism brought the world to the brink of a nuclear war that would have made the Second World War seem like a minor episode in comparison. — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, "Nietzsche’s Eternal Return," 7 Oct. 2019 Released in 2004, the late Philip Roth’s novel The Plot Against America imagines an alternate history where aviator-hero and xenophobic populist Charles Lindbergh became president in 1940 and turned the United States toward fascism. — Derek Lawrence, EW.com, "See Winona Ryder, John Turturro in first look at David Simon's The Plot Against America," 19 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fascism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for fascism

fascism

noun

English Language Learners Definition of fascism

: a way of organizing a society in which a government ruled by a dictator controls the lives of the people and in which people are not allowed to disagree with the government

: very harsh control or authority

See the full definition for fascism in the English Language Learners Dictionary

fascism

noun, often capitalized

fas·cism | \ ˈfa-ˌshi-zəm