feminism
noun
fem·i·nism
ˈfe-mə-ˌni-zəm 
: belief in and advocacy of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes expressed especially through organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests
… feminism began in the late 1840s with the campaign for women's suffrage in America. The second wave came in the 1960s with the call for women's "liberation" and equality under the law. A third wave in the 1990s was more rebellious than reformist, more anarchically individualistic than disciplined and legalistic. Some think we are in the midst of a fourth wave, sustained by the internet and social media …—
The Economist (London)
The Economist (London)Examples of feminism in a Sentence
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Lindy West has unwittingly written the obituary for Millennial feminism, Helen Lewis writes.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
The ’90s saw the advent of third-wave feminism and riot grrrl; to be a trad wife was the least cool thing in the world.
—Daisy Jones, Vogue, 26 Mar. 2026
Witch stories have long served as fertile ground for exploring feminism, and the mall provides a natural stage for critiquing the crux of current western culture.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
The work of Anne Wentworth, one of these radical women, is an important source for thinking about feminism before modernity.
—Chandler Fritz, The New York Review of Books, 21 Mar. 2026
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David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
The ’90s saw the advent of third-wave feminism and riot grrrl; to be a trad wife was the least cool thing in the world.
—Daisy Jones, Vogue, 26 Mar. 2026
Witch stories have long served as fertile ground for exploring feminism, and the mall provides a natural stage for critiquing the crux of current western culture.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
The work of Anne Wentworth, one of these radical women, is an important source for thinking about feminism before modernity.
—Chandler Fritz, The New York Review of Books, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for feminism
Cite this Entry
“Feminism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminism. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
feminism
noun
fem·i·nism
ˈfem-ə-ˌniz-əm
1
: the theory supporting the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes
2
: organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests
Medical Definition
feminism
noun
fem·i·nism
ˈfem-ə-ˌniz-əm
: the presence of female characteristics in males
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