hegemony

noun

he·​ge·​mo·​ny hi-ˈje-mə-nē  -ˈge- 

ˈhe-jə-ˌmō-nē

1

: strong influence or authority over others : domination

aiming for world hegemony

2

: the social, cultural, ideological, or economic influence exerted by a dominant group

The rise of Health Management Organizations (HMOs) and managed care in general has weakened physician hegemony over medicine.

—Amy Agigian

hegemonic

ˌhe-jə-ˈmä-nik 

ˌhe-gə-

adjective

Did you know?

Hegemony refers to a kind of domination. It was borrowed in the mid-16th century from the Greek word hēgemonia, a noun formed from the verb hēgeisthai, “to lead.” At first hegemony was used specifically to refer to the control once wielded by ancient Greek states; later it was applied to domination by other political actors. By the 19th century, the word had acquired a second sense referring to the social or cultural influence wielded by a dominant entity over others of its kind, a sense employed by design scholar Joshua Langman when describing the use of found objects by French artist Marcel Duchamp (he of notorious readymade Fountain fame) as a means “to question and criticize the values of the artistic hegemony by eschewing craft entirely.”

Synonyms of hegemony

• domination
• dominance
• supremacy
• dominion
• sovereignty

Examples of hegemony in a Sentence

… the very concept of "scientific truth" can only represent a social construction invented by scientists (whether consciously or not) as a device to justify their hegemony over the study of nature. —Stephen Jay Gould, Science, 14 Jan. 2000

When Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union, in June of 1941, distracted Japan's traditional rival for hegemony in East Asia, Japanese expansionists saw a historic opportunity. —David M. Kennedy, Atlantic, March 1999

If mermaids had ceased to challenge scientific hegemony, other similarly mythological creatures rushed in to fill their places in Victorian hearts and minds. —Harriet Ritvo, The Platypus and the Mermaid, 1997

They discussed the national government's hegemony over their tribal community.

European intellectuals have long debated the consequences of the hegemony of American popular culture around the world.

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet within the corridors of power at UEFA, it is more often perceived as a power- and cash-grab that will detract from its own money-making potential and disrupt Europe’s hegemony. — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Oddly enough, there’s a case to be made that Ellison himself may have eliminated the greatest threat to network TV’s hegemony by gobbling up WBD’s TNT Sports assets, which have long served as agents of chaos in the sports-rights market. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 31 July 2026

In William Maxwell’s novel The Château (1961), a young Francophile American couple spends four months in Europe amid the United States’ rapidly growing political, economic, and cultural hegemony. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026

Since then, the band has faded a bit, as has Pitchfork’s hegemony. — David Harris, SPIN, 21 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Greek hēgemonia, from hēgemōn leader, from hēgeisthai to lead — more at seek

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hegemony

• anemone

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