radicalism

[ rad-i-kuh-liz-uhm ]

noun

1. extreme views or practices, or the tendency to favor them, as in politics or religion; extremism:

   In the long term, the peace we seek will only be achieved by eliminating the conditions that feed radicalism and ideologies of violence.

radicalism

/ ˈrædɪkəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. the principles, desires, or practices of political radicals
2. a radical movement, esp in politics
3. the state or nature of being radical, esp in politics

Derived Forms

• ˌradicalˈistically, adverb
• ˌradicalˈistic, adjective

Other Words From

• an·ti·rad·i·cal·ism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of radicalism¹

First recorded in 1810–20; radical + -ism

Example Sentences

The series’ snapshot of the friends’ young-adult struggles include their efforts to obtain contraception, some of their former classmates hardening into radicalism, and Lila and Lenu’s small children growing wiser to the dysfunctions around them.

From Washington Post

It takes activism seriously, pushing past the idea that same-sex marriage was its final destination and leaning into radicalism.

From Time

To check in with how you may dismiss things for their pendulum-swing radicalism too easily, and not find ways to offer yourself to the balance that will lead the justifiable equality of men and women forward.

From Ozy

Biographers, as Nersessian notes, have demonstrated that Keats entertained radical political ideas, but the radicalism did not make it into many of the poems, and certainly not into these poems.

From Washington Post

For Enninful, there is no limitation to the radicalism possible through his line of work.

From Time

The Gorge has always been a hotbed of radicalism and arms smuggling, but now it is fast becoming a shahid factory.

From The Daily Beast

Worse, the procedural radicalism of the GOP threatens to cause another crisis at some point in the future.

From The Daily Beast

Akkari, once infected by with the virus of radicalism, now possesses all the curiosity of a university student.

From The Daily Beast

Even if violence and radicalism don't cross the border, the cost of the refugee crisis is becoming unbearable for them.

From The Daily Beast

But one of the biggest factors that has helped the growth of British Islamic radicalism is marriage.

From The Daily Beast

Tories will wax eloquent on "the pink miasma of revolutionary Radicalism."

From Project Gutenberg

In some men of warm religious feeling the Revolution excited a fervent spirit of Radicalism.

From Project Gutenberg

Furthermore, the increased radicalism of the few was more than counterbalanced by the intensified conservatism of the many.

From Project Gutenberg

Here the glise philosophique met regularly to discuss its doctrines and publish its propaganda of radicalism.

From Project Gutenberg

They come into power flushed with success, and are themselves the very dregs of radicalism.

From Project Gutenberg