jingoism

noun

jin·​go·​ism ˈjiŋ-(ˌ)gō-ˌi-zəm How to pronounce jingoism (audio)
: extreme chauvinism or nationalism marked especially by a belligerent foreign policy
jingoist noun or adjective
jingoistic adjective
jingoistically adverb

Did you know?

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 But this initial scrape between Magneto’s henchmen and Professor Xavier’s gifted youngsters somehow managed to be fun, set the tone for an entire genre, and use the witch hunt at the center of its plot to anticipate the jingoism that exploded across the United States in the aftermath of 9/11. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 31 July 2024 Shaman, a singer whose pro-Kremlin jingoism has catapulted him to popularity amid wartime fervor, was scheduled to take the stage a day later. Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024 In hindsight, 2003 was an omen of the toxic mix of jingoism and patriarchy that was to come. Lyz Lenz, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2024 Well, the main thing is that all of us, both Dozhd and Navalny, were not sure if we were still needed—in 2014 Putin occupied Crimea, Russia was overwhelmed by a wave of jingoism. TIME, 18 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for jingoism 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jingoism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see jingo entry 2

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jingoism was in 1878

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near jingoism

Cite this Entry

“Jingoism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jingoism. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on jingoism

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!