mercantilism

noun

mer·​can·​til·​ism ˈmər-kən-ˌtē-ˌli-zəm 

-ˌtī-,

-tə-

1

: the theory or practice of mercantile pursuits : commercialism

2

: an economic system developing during the decay of feudalism to unify and increase the power and especially the monetary wealth of a nation by a strict governmental regulation of the entire national economy usually through policies designed to secure an accumulation of bullion (see bullion sense 1), a favorable balance of trade, the development of agriculture and manufactures, and the establishment of foreign trading monopolies (see monopoly sense 1)

mercantilist

ˈmər-kən-ˌtē-list 

-ˌtī-

-tə-

noun or adjective

mercantilistic

ˌmər-kən-ˌtē-ˈli-stik 

-ˌtī-

-tə-

adjective

Examples of mercantilism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

From the 16th to 18th centuries, mercantilism dominated as the prevailing economic model. —Mirjana Perkovic, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025

In 1776, Adam Smith’s seminal work, The Wealth of Nations, revolutionized economic thought by challenging mercantilism. —Mirjana Perkovic, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025

As the foreign policy expert Wess Mitchell has recently argued, the United States needs to create a unified front against Chinese mercantilism. —Nadia Schadlow, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2024

Through mercantilism and colonization, Europeans sought natural resources abroad in order to increase their power at home. —Kathleen Duval, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mercantilism

• activism
• ageism
• albinism
• altruism
• aneurism
• animism
• aphorism
• atomism
• barbarism
• bolshevism
• botulism
• brahmanism