minimalism

noun

min·​i·​mal·​ism ˈmi-nə-mə-ˌli-zəm 

1

: a style or technique (as in music, literature, or design) that is characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity

2

: minimal art

Did you know?

In the 1960s, a few composers, including Philip Glass, Steve Reich, and John Adams, began writing music inspired by the music of India and Southeast Asia, often with a quick pulsing beat and chords that are repeated quickly over and over while small changes are slowly introduced. Minimalist art, which began appearing around the same time, tries to strip away all personal elements, often leaving only pure geometric forms; you may have seen the plain silver boxes of Donald Judd, or the straight neon tubes of Bruce Nauman. In literature, the stripped-down fiction of Samuel Beckett and Raymond Carver is often considered minimalist. But there's a real question whether these various types of minimalism should even be considered the same concept.

Examples of minimalism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

After years dominated by the reliable little black dress and subdued minimalism, wedding guest attire is swinging loudly in the opposite direction. —Lauren Fisher, Footwear News, 28 May 2026

The brand channels its Ukrainian roots with beautiful embroidery on traditional silhouettes, then easily shifts into contemporary minimalism with an edge that never abandons its cultural and aesthetic roots. —Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 27 May 2026

But leaders do need to understand that minimalism from a position of authority can feel different from minimalism between equals. —Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026

Embrace minimalism to save money and heighten style. —Jenny Hughes, The Spruce, 25 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for minimalism

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