imperialism
noun
Mona DomoshGeorge YangClive James 
Usage of Colonialism and Imperialism
In contexts dealing with the domination of a people or area by a foreign power, colonialism and imperialism are often used together with no real distinction in meaning. Used separately, however, each of these words can take on a slightly different emphasis. Colonialism comes from colony, and tends to be applied in contexts addressing the effects that colonialism has on the lives of those living in colonies. Imperialism is closely related to empire and therefore tends to place more emphasis on the ruling power and its intent to expand its dominion, as well as on the expanded empire itself, with its distinct parts subsumed under the banner of the dominating force.
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Linguistic Roots of Imperialism
The original meaning of imperialism was a simple one: "imperial government," that is, empire in the classical sense (such as existed in ancient Rome, China, and Greece). In more recent times, imperialism has become synonymous with western hegemony in Africa and Asia from the 18th through the 20th centuries and with the spreading cultural influence of the United States. Formerly implying military and governmental dominance, the word today is often invoked in a wider variety of contexts, such as cultural imperialism, media imperialism, and economic imperialism. And while there has been considerable debate about the net effects of western dominance in other parts of the world, in its current use, imperialism often carries a negative connotation.
Examples of imperialism in a Sentence
Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 1 May 2025
At least three strands of Atlantic historiography have proved fruitful thus far in thinking beyond isolated, modern nation-states: studies of the transatlantic slave trade, comparative histories of colonial societies in the Americas, and transatlantic histories of British and American imperialism.
—Abby Clayton, JSTOR Daily, 29 Apr. 2025
His claims are bringing to the surface decades-old emotions about U.S. imperialism and foreign occupation.
—Whitney Eulich, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Apr. 2025
How much Friedrich really dialogued with all these political happenings isn’t explained much within the show itself, whose texts are crystal clear until conflict and imperialism get invoked.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imperialism
Cite this Entry
“Imperialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imperialism. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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imperialism
noun
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