individualism

noun

ˌin-də-ˈvi-jə-wə-ˌli-zəm How to pronounce individualism (audio)
Definition of individualismnext
1
as in trick
an odd or peculiar habit the novelist gives each character an assortment of individualisms that sets them apart

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in identity
the set of qualities that make a person different from other people his individualism and epic vision set him well apart from other architects of his generation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of individualism That’s what the world needs more of—less individualism and more community action—and that’s what flowers have been doing all along. — Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 30 July 2026 Each of the five episodes focuses on a key precept of American culture, including individualism, free expression, and capitalism. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 24 July 2026 American collectivism may be, as Mamdani promised, warmer than rugged individualism. — Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026 The explosion of bachelorette parties in the three decades since mirrors what happened with weddings in general, influenced by the royal wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, along with the rise of individualism, Montemurro says. — Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for individualism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for individualism
  1. trick
  2. identity
  3. trait
  4. personality
  5. characteristic
  6. individuality
  7. mannerism
  8. eccentricity
Noun
  • The Cinderella dress that Kaitlyn Argyriou’s mother had sewn for her as a child and which Argyriou’s daughter, Avery, 4, had planned to wear trick-or-treating in Colorado Springs on Halloween.
    — Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The tips and tricks for maintaining hosiery that used to be passed down by family and friends are in danger of being lost to time and ever-changing fashion trends.
    — Jolie Kerr, Washington Post, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of trick
Noun
  • Wedding clients perform love instead of living it; her brother, a congressman, disguises his LGBTQ identity to make his political one more palatable; the gentrifiers of her neighborhood trumpet their changes as progress.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The identities of those killed have yet to be determined, al-Masirah satellite news channel cited Saboula as saying.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of identity
Noun
  • Other soccer-like traits at Ryan Field include a very high proportion of the seats being under cover and the striking sight that what Americans across the land have come to know as the Upper Deck experience just does not exist here.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • His ability to square the ball up and not chase out of the strike zone are probably his best traits.
    — Jim Bowden, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of trait
Noun
  • His teammates see his personality, his ability to laugh at himself, his sarcasm, his dry wit.
    — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Of course, the trend has to align with the brand’s existing values, and Pandora consumers have long used charms to express their interests and personalities.
    — Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of personality
Noun
  • What’s more useful in understanding the world is a straightforward accounting of it—a kind of double-entry inventory of its characteristics.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Tactile sensor data has very different characteristics to the image data VLAs are normally trained on, and tactile datasets lag far behind the internet-scale of many vision and language datasets.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of characteristic
Noun
  • The fall 2026 collections leaned into this expression of individuality, showcasing an array of accents that encourage thoughtful experimentation.
    — Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Makeup artist Melanie Inglessis, favored by the likes of Rosamund Pike, Kirsten Dunst, and Jenna Ortega, attributes the ever-growing popularity of minimal makeup to general empowerment—women opting to own their individuality rather than cover it up.
    — Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of individuality
Noun
  • Her mannerisms, comedy, music, references and cultural touchstones were influenced by the Black woman playing her.
    — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In a sprightly performance rife with oddball mannerisms, Gnecco gives Borges equal parts impish wisdom, earthy vulgarity and childlike wonder, rarely letting a moment’s silence go unfilled with eager chatter.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of mannerism
Noun
  • Everyone knows the outdated and offensive characterization of a cat lady — a stereotype conjuring images of solitude, eccentricities and probably cartons of ice cream.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Bring an equal eccentricity to your interiors with a Nordic Knots area rug.
    — Madeline Fass, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of eccentricity

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individual
individualism
individualisms
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Cite this Entry

“Individualism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/individualism. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on individualism

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about individualism

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