Darwinian
adjective
Dar·win·i·an
där-ˈwi-nē-ən 
1
: of or relating to Charles Darwin, his theories especially of evolution, or his followers
2
: of, relating to, or being a competitive environment or situation in which only the fittest persons or organizations prosper
Darwinian
noun
Examples of Darwinian in a Sentence
a Darwinian approach to evolution
The competition among manufacturers is very Darwinian.
the Darwinian world of professional sports
Recent Examples on the Web
There are other types of fitness—mental, Darwinian—that present the opportunity for more tests.
—
Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2025
The Great Highland bagpipe survived a cruel Darwinian narrowing.
—Elena Saavedra Buckley, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2025
The reporter asked if that could have a reverse Darwinian effect: transforming humans into simians.
—Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2025
The second step would be making that group capable of Darwinian evolution.
—Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 20 Mar. 2025
But today’s moguls face a scrambled world, with YouTube eating television, media companies in Trump’s crosshairs, and a Darwinian competition for the last appointment-viewing content — sports.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 10 July 2025
The Darwinian rule applies to modern leaders: adapt, migrate or die.
—Tony Gambill, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Minerals evolve toward greater complexity (though not in the Darwinian sense).
—Philip Ball, Wired News, 8 June 2025
Hence, a turn toward self-reliance, whether in the form of back-yard gardening or ruthless self-optimization that anticipates Darwinian competition amid crisis.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2025
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Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2025
The Great Highland bagpipe survived a cruel Darwinian narrowing.
—Elena Saavedra Buckley, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2025
The reporter asked if that could have a reverse Darwinian effect: transforming humans into simians.
—Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2025
The second step would be making that group capable of Darwinian evolution.
—Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 20 Mar. 2025
But today’s moguls face a scrambled world, with YouTube eating television, media companies in Trump’s crosshairs, and a Darwinian competition for the last appointment-viewing content — sports.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 10 July 2025
The Darwinian rule applies to modern leaders: adapt, migrate or die.
—Tony Gambill, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Minerals evolve toward greater complexity (though not in the Darwinian sense).
—Philip Ball, Wired News, 8 June 2025
Hence, a turn toward self-reliance, whether in the form of back-yard gardening or ruthless self-optimization that anticipates Darwinian competition amid crisis.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Darwinian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Darwinian. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
Darwinian
adjective
Dar·win·ian
där-ˈwin-ē-ən
: of or relating to Charles Darwin, his theories especially of evolution, or his followers
Darwinian
noun
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