PRAGMATISM Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

pragmatism

noun

Definition of pragmatism

as in realism

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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 pragmatism In a display of pragmatism, al-Sharaa even maintains ties with both Russian President Vladimir Putin, a top ally of the former regime, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. — Tala Alrajjal, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026 Roosevelt is arguably the more useful example, precisely because of his hesitation, pragmatism, and self-interest. — Beverly Gage, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 Understanding the scope of human suffering and hopelessness in our world stirs a strong internal conflict between empathy and pragmatism. — Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 23 Sep. 2026 The push toward abstraction in mid-century American art coincided with a surge of interest in existentialism, which had begun to displace the pragmatism that underlay Avery’s approach. — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pragmatism

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pragmatism

Noun

Harris also helped shape the movie’s imagination sequences, pushing Pixar’s artists toward more spontaneous, painterly images rather than the studio’s usual meticulous realism.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Mackenzie’s a somewhat underrated figure, a Scottish filmmaker who worked with Ken Loach as an assistant director before embarking on his own career making similar works of social realism for British film and television.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of realism

Noun

Cybersecurity, older and more diffuse, is united by a culture of cynicism, pragmatism, and dark humor.

— Harry Booth, Time, 20 Oct. 2026
John Steinbeck wrote Cathy Ames, the antagonist of his novel East of Eden, as the embodiment of original sin, and in Zoe Kazan’s Netflix adaptation, Florence Pugh deftly channels the character’s ambition and cynicism.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of cynicism

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pragmatism

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“Pragmatism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pragmatism. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of pragmatism

noun

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