fundamentalism

noun

fun·​da·​men·​tal·​ism ˌfən-də-ˈmen-tə-ˌli-zəm 

1

a

often capitalized : a movement in 20th century Protestantism emphasizing the literally interpreted Bible as fundamental to Christian life and teaching

b

: the beliefs of this movement

c

: adherence to such beliefs

a minister noted for his strict fundamentalism

2

: a movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherence to a set of basic principles

Islamic fundamentalism

political fundamentalism

fundamentalist

ˌfən-də-ˈmen-tə-list 

noun

fundamentalist adjective

or fundamentalistic

ˌfən-də-ˌmen-tə-ˈli-stik 

Examples of fundamentalism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1989, when the 35-year-old Communist playwright and street theater director Safdar Hashmi was beaten to death by right-wing thugs while performing near Delhi, Mr. Sundaram, with other cultural figures, organized a collective to oppose religious fundamentalism and sectarianism. —Holland Cotter, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2023

Pfeffer is currently covering the war and has been working on a book about Jewish fundamentalism. —Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2023

It has been passionately embraced on the right, and supported by a wide spectrum of society, as the French defense against everything from Islamist fundamentalism to American multiculturalism. —Roger Cohen, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2023

That’s an interesting question, because in the eighties it was associated with the equivalent of religious fundamentalism that was pervasive throughout many of the faith traditions, especially after 1979. —Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2023

As the country’s right wing has gained influence, Ilan Ber has become more worried about the growing dominance of fundamentalism in public life. —Shira Rubin, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2023

Market fundamentalism is an extreme idea that became mainstream. —Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2023

Extremist groups have been agitating for some sort of government overthrow for years and, Mr. Pape said, the most radical views — often driven by white supremacy or religious fundamentalism — remain marginal, advanced by no more than 50,000 people nationwide. —Sheera Frenkel, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2022

The path to this fundamentalism was paved with stones of hypocrisy. —Bethany McLean, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

fundamental entry 1 + -ism

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined at sense 1a