social Darwinism
noun
: an extension of Darwinism to social phenomena
specifically
: a sociological theory that sociocultural advance is the product of intergroup conflict and competition and the socially elite classes (such as those possessing wealth and power) possess biological superiority in the struggle for existence
social Darwinist
noun or adjective
Examples of social Darwinism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This belief is rooted in a kind of technological social Darwinism, the idea that evolution can be steered, or even upgraded, by engineering.
—
Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 28 July 2025
At the same time, a more demure set of scientists was quietly laying the foundation for the renovation of social Darwinism in mainstream biological thinking.
—Erik Baker, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
The quieter flip side of the overt evil of social Darwinism is that none of us are ever capable enough.
—Lily Scherlis, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
How about the aggressive capitalism and social Darwinism of the United States?
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024
LaVey embraced social Darwinism, for instance — but that was the point: Satanism doesn’t shy away from the baseness of human nature.
—Alex Bhattacharji, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2024
Next, the researchers asked participants to complete a series of personality tests to understand which facets of personality were most predictive of social Darwinism beliefs.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2021
Often plucked from the coterie of wealthy corporate attorneys representing the robber barons, his brethren perceived attempts to mitigate the scourges of the Gilded Age — child labor, hazardous workplaces and monopolies — as threats to their faith in laissez-faire capitalism and social Darwinism.
—Washington Post, 16 July 2021
An exaggerated respect for their own militaries and the widespread influence of social Darwinism encouraged a belief that war was a noble and necessary part of a nation’s struggle for survival.
—Margaret MacMillan, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2020
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Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 28 July 2025
At the same time, a more demure set of scientists was quietly laying the foundation for the renovation of social Darwinism in mainstream biological thinking.
—Erik Baker, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
The quieter flip side of the overt evil of social Darwinism is that none of us are ever capable enough.
—Lily Scherlis, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
How about the aggressive capitalism and social Darwinism of the United States?
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024
LaVey embraced social Darwinism, for instance — but that was the point: Satanism doesn’t shy away from the baseness of human nature.
—Alex Bhattacharji, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2024
Next, the researchers asked participants to complete a series of personality tests to understand which facets of personality were most predictive of social Darwinism beliefs.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2021
Often plucked from the coterie of wealthy corporate attorneys representing the robber barons, his brethren perceived attempts to mitigate the scourges of the Gilded Age — child labor, hazardous workplaces and monopolies — as threats to their faith in laissez-faire capitalism and social Darwinism.
—Washington Post, 16 July 2021
An exaggerated respect for their own militaries and the widespread influence of social Darwinism encouraged a belief that war was a noble and necessary part of a nation’s struggle for survival.
—Margaret MacMillan, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Social Darwinism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20Darwinism. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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