paternalism
noun
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Definition of paternalism
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Other Words from paternalism
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noun or adjective
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adjective
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adverb
Examples of paternalism in a Sentence
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Its governing philosophy, reaching back to the Whigs of the 18th century, rested on the idea of aristocratic paternalism, with gentlemen from the great families ruling in the public interest. — William Anthony Hay, WSJ, "‘Lansdowne’ Review: Noble Aspirations," 26 Dec. 2018 This isn’t strictly out of paternalism (although there are elements of that). — Rob Reid, Ars Technica, "Ars on your lunch break: The toxic truths within our DNA," 18 July 2018 So this is not about white paternalism, this is about African-American agency. — Lorraine Boissoneault, Smithsonian, "The Unheralded Pioneers of 19th-Century America Were Free African-American Families," 19 June 2018 Jim Harbaugh means well, but his plan smacks of paternalism and delayed gratification. — Tim Sullivan, The Courier-Journal, "Michigan coach's athlete payment plan to invest in stocks has its holes," 12 May 2018 The women of Olivia were revolutionary for completely sidestepping entertainment industry paternalism. — Bonnie J. Morris, Smithsonian, "How Should We Archive the Soundtrack to 1970s Feminism?," 30 Mar. 2018 His regal paternalism is intended to suggest that an earlier order has been restored after decades of horrors, from American bombing in the early 1970s to the civil war of the 1980s, not to mention the Khmers Rouges’ grotesque Year Zero. — The Economist, "Hun Sen, Cambodia’s ruler, has been in power too long," 22 Mar. 2018 Their romance is a study of love and difference, of how pity and paternalism can stifle true communication. — Andy Borowitz, The New Yorker, "A Deaf Romance on Broadway in “Children of a Lesser God”," 15 Mar. 2018 Death Wish’s central character Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) was a cathartic figure, a symbol of paternalism and masculine strength as a way to enforce justice for crime and social unrest. — Dana Schwartz, EW.com, "Death Wish director Eli Roth responds to critics of controversial remake," 5 Mar. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'paternalism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for paternalism
paternalism
noun
English Language Learners Definition of paternalism
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