imperialism

American  

[im-peer-ee-uh-liz-uhm] / ɪmˈpɪər i əˌlɪz əm /

noun

1. the policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies.

2. advocacy of imperial or sovereign interests over the interests of the dependent states.

3. imperial government; rule by an emperor or empress.

4. an imperial system of government.

5. British. the policy of so uniting the separate parts of an empire with separate governments as to secure for certain purposes a single state.

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imperialism British  

/ ɪmˈpɪərɪəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. the policy or practice of extending a state's rule over other territories

2. an instance or policy of aggressive behaviour by one state against another

3. the extension or attempted extension of authority, influence, power, etc, by any person, country, institution, etc

   cultural imperialism

4. a system of imperial government or rule by an emperor

5. the spirit, character, authority, etc, of an empire

6. advocacy of or support for any form of imperialism

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imperialism Cultural  

1. Acquisition by a government of other governments or territories, or of economic or cultural power over other nations or territories, often by force. Colonialism is a form of imperialism.

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Other Word Forms

• imperialist noun
• imperialistic adjective
• imperialistically adverb
• nonimperialistic adjective
• nonimperialistically adverb
• unimperialistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of imperialism

First recorded in 1855–60; imperial ¹ + -ism

Example Sentences

Massie's work cleverly engaged the reader in big ideas – imperialism, the clash between personal relationships and ideological movements, myth and reality in the stories we tell ourselves about political leaders – while never forgetting to entertain.

From BBC

He describes the project as a case of “conservation imperialism,” in which poor communities bear the cost of foreign environmentalists’ actions.

From The Wall Street Journal

Articles tagged “critical” focused on a negative event, idea or time, including subjects of racism, sexism and imperialism.

From The Wall Street Journal

It was a turn of events that came as welcome news in Nuuk, where signs hang in storefronts and kitchen windows rejecting American imperialism.

From Los Angeles Times

“Cortez the Killer” shimmers into existence, and a listener might contemplate that while it’s another one of Young’s monumental mid-’70s mythic journeys, it’s also essentially a story about imperialism.

From Salon