Definition of JINGOISM

Jingoism Got Its Start in the 19th Century

Jingoism originated during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, when many British citizens were hostile toward Russia and felt Britain should intervene in the conflict. Supporters of the cause expressed their sentiments in a music-hall ditty with this refrain: We don't want to fight, yet by jingo if we do,

We've got the ships, we've got the men,
We've got the money, too!

Someone holding the attitude implied in the song became known as a jingo or jingoist, and the attitude itself was dubbed jingoism. The jingo in the tune is probably a euphemism for Jesus.

Examples of jingoism in a Sentence

When the war began many people were caught up in a wave of jingoism. his loudmouthed jingoism will not win us any foreign allies

Recent Examples on the Web This often translates into jingoism and aggressive rhetoric, particularly when playing to a domestic audience. — James Griffiths, CNN, "The border spat between India and China is turning into an all-out media war," 9 June 2020 In a little under eight and a half minutes, the film mocks the military mind-set and empty jingoism while creating a picture of an overwhelmed young boy that could melt the hardest heart. — Neil Genzlinger, New York Times, "Gene Deitch, Prolific Animator, Is Dead at 95," 24 Apr. 2020 In a little under 8½ minutes, the film mocks the military mindset and empty jingoism while creating a picture of an overwhelmed young boy that could melt the hardest heart. — Neil Genzlinger, BostonGlobe.com, "Gene Deitch, prolific animator," 26 Apr. 2020 If nothing else, Armageddon is a crucial cultural artifact: a portent of American culture’s jingoism in the 2000s, when blockbuster action sequences had the tone and tenor of Budweiser commercials. — David Sims, The Atlantic, "30 Underrated Films You Should Revisit," 10 Apr. 2020 The language of jingoism is often employed by power-seeking politicians fishing for popular support. — Madeleine Albright, Time, "Madeleine Albright: Coronavirus Should Be a Wake-Up Call for World Leaders to Work Together," 20 Mar. 2020 Not in the sense of hierarchical flag-waving jingoism, but pragmatically, through the locally responsible sovereignty of neighbor-with-next-door-neighbor? — David Kipen, Los Angeles Times, "Q&A: Author Cynthia Ozick will spend her 92nd birthday ‘contemplating mayhem’," 8 Apr. 2020 As the social cohesion of economic growth has ebbed, the Chinese — specifically the Han Chinese — have doubled down on jingoism. — Jonah Goldberg, National Review, "Coronavirus Is Just More Fodder for Chinese Propaganda Campaign," 20 Mar. 2020 These are the many of the same people who have spent nearly twenty years accusing anybody condemning American imperialism, jingoism, and Islamophobia of dishonoring or forgetting the nearly 3,000 Americans murdered on September 11. — Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, "The Deranged Push to Get Americans Back to Work," 26 Mar. 2020

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