nationalistic
adjective
na·tion·al·is·tic
ˌna-sh(ə-)nə-ˈli-stik 
1
: of, favoring, or characterized by nationalism
As increasingly nationalistic, authoritarian regimes in eastern Europe trampled on the rights of all minorities in the economically beleaguered 1930s, the ethnic German communities were easily tempted by National Socialism.—
Christopher R. Browning
Christopher R. BrowningHis thinking also took a peculiarly nationalistic bent, emphasizing that Buddhism had declined in India and China in turn and that Japan was now the central land of the religion.—Edwin O. Reischauer
Edwin O. Reischauer2
: of or relating to a nation
The team split its schedule between the U.S. and Mexico for 17 of the next 18 seasons before cultural and nationalistic differences between players and officials … bubbled to the top.—Kevin Baxter
Kevin BaxterExamples of nationalistic in a Sentence
the political party's nationalistic ideology
a nationalistic display of the country's flag at all civic events
Recent Examples on the Web
Drunken heckling of a nationalistic speech in Peter Pan also acts as a reminder that the novel’s world exists in the shadow of history.
—Christopher Tayler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Unlike others of his ilk, Elon Musk, nominally more interested in colonizing Mars than other parts of Earth, appears to see the annexation of Greenland as a purely nationalistic venture.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026
Yet Iran is also deeply nationalistic, and even among the remaining 80 percent, support for foreign military intervention has historically been uncertain.
—Kay Armin Serjoie, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
After the war, many Iranians hoped things would change and that the government would leverage the nationalistic rally around the flag to introduce a more tenable social contract with the populace.
—Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
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Christopher Tayler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Unlike others of his ilk, Elon Musk, nominally more interested in colonizing Mars than other parts of Earth, appears to see the annexation of Greenland as a purely nationalistic venture.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026
Yet Iran is also deeply nationalistic, and even among the remaining 80 percent, support for foreign military intervention has historically been uncertain.
—Kay Armin Serjoie, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
After the war, many Iranians hoped things would change and that the government would leverage the nationalistic rally around the flag to introduce a more tenable social contract with the populace.
—Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nationalistic
Cite this Entry
“Nationalistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nationalistic. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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