nationalism

noun na·tion·al·ism \ ˈnash-nə-ˌli-zəm , ˈna-shə-nə-ˌli-zəm \

Updated on: 19 May 2018

Definition of nationalism

1 : loyalty and devotion to a nation; especially : a sense of national consciousness (see consciousness 1c) exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups

Intense nationalism was one of the causes of the war.

2 : a nationalist movement or government

opposing nationalisms

See nationalism defined for English-language learners

See nationalism defined for kids

Examples of nationalism in a Sentence

The war was caused by nationalism and greed.
Nazism's almost epic nationalism appealed to downtrodden Germans still suffering the humiliation of being defeated in World War I.

Recent Examples of nationalism from the Web

His political rise depended on nationalism, nativism, isolationism.

— matt viser, BostonGlobe.com, "Crutches, Twizzlers, and the end of John Kerry’s old-school diplomacy," 8 May 2018
Those who felt the president had just legitimized white nationalism were despondent.

— avi selk, chicagotribune.com, "Tina Fey regrets urging you to give up and eat sheet cake," 4 May 2018
And nationalism in Europe is on the rise, and not just in Central Europe, under pressure from migration, terrorism and globalization.

— steven erlanger, New York Times, "Fight Over Values Risks a ‘European Civil War,’ Macron Says," 17 Apr. 2018
But at a time when populist nationalism is on the rise around the world, matters of culture and identity can sometimes count for more than economic self-interest.

— The Economist, "Twenty years after a peace deal the mood is sour in Northern Ireland," 28 Mar. 2018
Some Buddhist nationalists are also protesting against Muslim Rohingya asylum seekers from mostly Buddhist Myanmar, where Buddhist nationalism has also been on the rise.

— uditha jayasinghe, WSJ, "Sri Lanka Declares State of Emergency to Quell Buddhist-Muslim Violence," 6 Mar. 2018
For others, nationalism is basically code for white-identity politics.

— jonah goldberg, National Review, "American Nationalists Are Awfully Quiet about Russia," 16 Feb. 2018
There is very little so far that America has to thank Donald Trump for, except fomenting hate, empowering a rise in white nationalism, a Russiagate investigation and a dent in America’s reputation abroad.

— rochelle riley, Detroit Free Press, "The new women's movement is not going away: Time's up," 2 Jan. 2018
Joan is crushed between theology and the law, and along the way invents Protestantism and nationalism.

— toby zinman, Philly.com, "What a Broadway weekend!: 'St. Joan' and 'My Fair Lady'!," 27 Apr. 2018

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

The difference between nationalism, patriotism, sectionalism, and jingoism

Nationalism has a number of near-synonyms, each of which carries its own distinct meaning. Patriotism is similar insofar as it emphasizes strong feelings for one’s country, but it does not necessarily imply an attitude of superiority. Sectionalism resembles nationalism in its suggestion of a geopolitical group pursuing its self-interest, but the group in question is usually smaller than an entire nation. Jingoism closely resembles nationalism in suggesting feelings of cultural superiority, but unlike nationalism, it always implies military aggressiveness.

First Known Use of nationalism

1798

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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nationalism Synonyms

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

NATIONALISM Defined for English Language Learners

nationalism

noun

Definition of nationalism for English Language Learners

: a feeling that people have of being loyal to and proud of their country often with the belief that it is better and more important than other countries
: a desire by a large group of people (such as people who share the same culture, history, language, etc.) to form a separate and independent nation of their own