nationalism

noun

na·​tion·​al·​ism ˈna-sh(ə-)nə-ˌli-zəm How to pronounce nationalism (audio)
1
: loyalty and devotion to a nation
especially : a sense of national consciousness (see consciousness sense 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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between nationalism and patriotism?

Nationalism and patriotism are similar insofar as both words emphasize strong feelings for one’s country. However, the two words are not synonymous. Nationalism, while it refers to loyalty and devotion to a nation, tends to imply the placing of that nation above others, a tendency that is not necessarily implicit in patriotism.

Is nationalism a proper noun?

Proper noun is defined as "a noun that designates a particular being or thing, does not take a limiting modifier, and is usually capitalized in English." Nationalism does not meet these criteria, and therefore is not a proper noun.

What is difference between nationalism and jingoism?

Nationalism and jingoism are closely related, as both words refer to an exaltation of one’s own nation and feelings of cultural superiority. However, jingoism, unlike nationalism, always implies military aggressiveness.

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 on the Web Ataturk’s legacy sowed the seeds of the political backlash now seen in the religiously tinged nationalism of long-ruling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Through Lê’s lens, the arid California landscape evokes the nationalism of both American expansionism as well as Hollywood’s reenactments of wars abroad. Dan Q. Dao, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 People who support Christian nationalism have become a defining feature of former President Donald Trump's political movement, according to Robert P. Jones, PRRI's president and founder and author of the recent book, The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and the Path to a Shared American Future. Lisa Hagen, NPR, 28 Feb. 2024 His reasoning was and is that games pitting countries against countries promote the very nationalism that drives so much needless (and bloody) global conflict. John Tamny, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Some were wary of his right-wing positions, like the Russian nationalism that characterized his early political activities, his support for gun rights and his anti-immigrant views. Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 For many Socialist and communist Jews, nationalism of any stripe was a monstrous and decrepit ideology. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Feb. 2024 In the near term, Mehta foresees further erosion of the court’s independence and forms of jurisprudence ever more closely aligned with Hindu nationalism. Vaibhav Vats, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2024 Buckley and other researchers have completed several studies on the correlation between Christian nationalism and political violence. Will Carless, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nationalism was in 1798

Dictionary Entries Near nationalism

Cite this Entry

“Nationalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nationalism. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

nationalism

noun
na·​tion·​al·​ism ˈnash-nəl-ˌiz-əm How to pronounce nationalism (audio)
-ən-ᵊl-
: loyalty and devotion to a nation especially as expressed in a glorifying of one nation above all others and a stressing of the promotion of its culture and interests

More from Merriam-Webster on nationalism

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