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

Relevance

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 Though the conventional story told about the YBAs is one of friendship and community, what stands out now is their allegiance to neoliberal individualism. — Eliza Goodpasture, ARTnews.com, 5 Oct. 2026 In a country known for its bootstrap individualism, this was a monumental handout; officials ultimately doled out an area the size of Pakistan. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 Alongside this, spurred by the digital revolution, Italian culture is shifting away from solitary individualism towards a rekindled sense of community. — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2026 This older world is often focused on common American ideals of individualism and grit as the primary tools for attaining personal success. — Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 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
  • Even at the album’s more sedate tempos, gyrofield still delivers the manic intensity that marks their best work, building luscious tension with an arsenal of top-shelf production tricks.
    — Lisle Younger, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Trader Joe’s focaccia, sliced and toasted, will do the trick, or their ciabatta, sliced into small squares.
    — Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of trick
Noun
  • Our fashion choices say much about our values, identity, and aspirations.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The research represents an early step towards making model identity and response integrity independently verifiable, potentially giving users greater confidence in the systems powering their applications.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of identity
Noun
  • Another reveals a family trait or behavior that was unwittingly passed from generation to generation.
    — Gary Barron, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Claude is destined to imitate these human traits and mirror the human examples provided to it, including acting like a colleague or friend.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of trait
Noun
  • In some cases, the contenders have made statements many Jews perceive as antisemitic or who have alliances with personalities known for statements widely viewed as antisemitic.
    — Tovah Lazaroff, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026
  • In many ways, the joy of playing Mary is that different actors bring different aspects and personality nuances to the role.
    — Jenelle Riley, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of personality
Noun
  • Designed by Atelier Invictus and designer Fabio Rotella, the 55-footer introduces a fresh aesthetic but retains all the defining characteristics of the ST550 that debuted at Cannes in 2025.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Supporters said racial profiling is already prohibited and that legal status is determined using standard identification and verification procedures, not subjective characteristics such as the color of someone's skin.
    — Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of characteristic
Noun
  • That people should be allowed to live and express their individuality in their own way.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026
  • For now, the trial provides compelling evidence that a cancer’s individuality can become a therapeutic opportunity.
    — Mike McRae October 25, New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of individuality
Noun
  • The system was trained for over a thousand hours on roughly six thousand images and frames of film and other media in order to replicate Dalí’s facial expressions, body movements, speech patterns, and mannerisms.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
  • And judging by the amount of controversy that’s already been stirred up, Sacha Baron Cohen’s iconic character of a middle-class white Brit appropriating hip-hop and Jamaican mannerisms still has the ability to rile people.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of mannerism
Noun
  • Many mathematical geniuses have been as celebrated for their eccentricity as for their work.
    — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Content creators have angled to become the food critics of the short-form video era, each with their own schtick or eccentricities.
    — Mia Sato, The Verge, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of eccentricity

Browse Nearby Words

individual
individualism
individualisms
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Individualism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/individualism. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on individualism

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about individualism

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of cockamamie

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All