utilitarianism

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noun util·i·tar·i·an·ism \(ˌ)yü-ˌti-lə-ˈter-ē-ə-ˌni-zəm\

Definition of utilitarianism

1 : a doctrine that the useful is the good and that the determining consideration of right conduct should be the usefulness of its consequences; specifically : a theory that the aim of action should be the largest possible balance of pleasure over pain or the greatest happiness of the greatest number
2 : utilitarian character, spirit, or quality

See utilitarianism defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of utilitarianism from the Web

Now I’m an artist, I’m not into utilitarianism as an aesthetic.

— conor friedersdorf, The Atlantic, "The Limits of Diversity", 20 Dec. 2016
Dickens’s novel was a satire of the philosophy of utilitarianism as it was applied to education: the idea that working-class children needed to know enough to work in factories and nothing more.

— rebecca mead, The New Yorker, "Learn Different", 7 Mar. 2016
Remember, there's a real sense of utilitarianism here, a Louisiana quality.

— travis m. andrews, Esquire, "Your Perfect Crawfish Boil Is 9 Steps Away", 25 Apr. 2014
But the dark utilitarianism of Palladium is a far cry from the neon brightness that streetwear aficionados have come to expect from this man of style.

— ryan dombal, Esquire, "Q&A: Pharrell on New York and Tokyo's Disaster-Proof Style", 6 Sep. 2011

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'utilitarianism'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.