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patriotism

American  
[pey-tree-uh-tiz-uhm, pa-] / ˈpeɪ tri əˌtɪz əm, ˈpæ- /

noun

  1. devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty.


patriotism British  
/ ˈpætrɪəˌtɪzəm /

noun

  1. devotion to one's own country and concern for its defence Compare nationalism

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of patriotism

First recorded in 1720–30; patriot + -ism

Explanation

If you're full of patriotism, you're full of love for your country. Patriotism is associated with serving your country and waving the flag. There are, actually, a lot of ways to demonstrate your patriotism. Waving the flag is an obvious way, but anything that celebrates your country or makes it stronger is a great display of patriotism. Whenever a country is at war, people are more vocal about their patriotism, playing patriotic songs and making speeches full of national pride. Showing patriotism is so important that politicians will argue with each other about who really has more patriotism.

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Vocabulary lists containing patriotism

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Patriotism was a central theme of Trump's speech, noting celebrations later this summer planned for the country's 250th anniversary.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

Engraved around the coin are the Legion’s core values: Courage, Honor, Leadership, Patriotism, Scholarship and Service.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

Patriotism, they said, isn’t measured by the height of a flagpole.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 29, 2023

Fox News Books will release its seventh title of note on Tuesday — and it indeed has a telling title: “Unbroken Bonds of Battle: A Modern Warriors Book of Heroism, Patriotism and Friendship.”

From Washington Times • Jun. 26, 2023

A great consensus was reflected in the statement of the Eighth Regiment’s black leader: “There is no color in patriotism. Patriotism is as deeply rooted under the black skin as under any other.”

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

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