as in hostility
tendency to extend power or control over others especially through the use of force
Violent conquer of other nations is one extreme form of imperialism.
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Recent Examples of imperialism
Bad Bunny commenced his historic performance with a stage set evoking Puerto Rican history, beginning with the brutal legacy of Spanish imperialism on the island.
—
Raquel Reichard, Refinery29, 9 Feb. 2026
Beijing has already cast that US posture – seen most acutely in the US capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro – as a form of imperialism and bullying.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
That reality came to the fore in the mid-19th century, at the height of the United States’ continental imperialism.
—Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2026
There are also those who see expansion of the league as a form of cultural imperialism.
—Jared Bahir Browsh, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imperialism
Raquel Reichard, Refinery29, 9 Feb. 2026
Beijing has already cast that US posture – seen most acutely in the US capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro – as a form of imperialism and bullying.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
That reality came to the fore in the mid-19th century, at the height of the United States’ continental imperialism.
—Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2026
There are also those who see expansion of the league as a form of cultural imperialism.
—Jared Bahir Browsh, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imperialism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperialism
Noun
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So far, however, there is no sign of hostilities easing.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
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Aluminum hit the highest in almost four years before erasing gains, as escalating hostilities in the Middle East worsened the supply outlook from the region, while copper and other industrial metals fell on falling risk appetite.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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His aggression led to him getting six attempts at the free-throw line.—
Dan Rios,
Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Smog-forming emissions can interfere with insect communication by breaking down pheromones, causing ant colonies to exhibit aggression toward their own members and neglect their larvae.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Left means more skeptical of militarism, more secular.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
31 Dec. 2025
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If Japan seeks to go back to the path of militarism, violate its commitment to peaceful development and disrupt the postwar international order, the Chinese people will not allow it, and the international community will not allow it.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Tapping into national pride — dare say jingoism — might have done the trick.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
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The positive feelings people have toward their community translate directly into civic engagement, without the risk of increasing negative feelings such as jingoism or xenophobia.—
Sean Richey,
The Conversation,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Collins said the coaching staff looked at first-half film and thought the Wildcats’ hand activity and aggressiveness on defense were off.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
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The rest of the game passed by without any noticeable uptick in aggressiveness from the Leafs.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imperialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperialism. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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