neocolonialism

noun

neo·​co·​lo·​nial·​ism ˌnē-ō-kə-ˈlōn-yə-ˌli-zəm How to pronounce neocolonialism (audio)
-ˈlō-nē-ə-ˌli-
: the economic and political policies by which a great power indirectly maintains or extends its influence over other areas or people
… wary opponents of neocolonialism are scrupulous about keeping their nonaligned credentials intact.The Economist
neocolonial adjective
neocolonialist
ˌnē-ō-kə-ˈlōn-yə-list How to pronounce neocolonialism (audio)
-ˈlō-nē-ə-list
noun or adjective

Examples of neocolonialism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Through El Hadji’s obsession with masculinity, Sembène also explores how the patriarchy shaped postcolonial nations by reinforcing neocolonialism. Lovia Gyarkye, IndieWire, 19 Aug. 2025 In Sub-Saharan Africa, the dictatorships and the many ways in which neocolonialism and the setting up of a power structure that still oppresses Africans is happening at the moment. Sean Illing, Vox, 6 July 2024 How does a shadow state like Haiti achieve decolonization from neocolonialism? Marlene L. Daut, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2023 Critics of the International Criminal Court contend that its attempts to prosecute African leaders such as Uhuru Kenyatta, the former president of Kenya, or Omar al-Bashir, the former president of Sudan, smacked of neocolonialism. Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2022 At the signing ceremony, Mr. Putin devoted a large chunk of his 40-minute speech to what has become a familiar litany of complaints against the West, accusing the U.S. of neocolonialism and decadeslong efforts at sabotage to dismember the Russian state. Alan Cullison, WSJ, 2 Oct. 2022 The initiative has been criticized as a form of neocolonialism: hooking up countries, particularly in Africa, to high-interest loans that leave them beholden to Chinese investment. WIRED, 27 Sep. 2022

Word History

Etymology

neo- + colonialism

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of neocolonialism was in 1947

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Neocolonialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neocolonialism. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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