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anarchism

[ an-er-kiz-uhm ]
/ ˈæn ərˌkɪz əm /
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See synonyms for anarchism on Thesaurus.com
noun
a doctrine urging the abolition of government or governmental restraint as the indispensable condition for full social and political liberty.
the methods or practices of anarchists, as the use of violence to undermine government.
anarchy.

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Origin of anarchism

First recorded in 1635–45; anarch(y) + -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM anarchism

pro·an·ar·chism, nounsem·i·an·ar·chism, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH anarchism

anarchism , anarchy

Words nearby anarchism

anaptotic, anaptyxis, Anapurna, anarch, anarchic, anarchism, anarchist, anarcho-syndicalism, anarchy, an arm and a leg, An army marches on its stomach
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to anarchism

chaos, complication, disturbance, lawlessness, trouble, unrest, anarchy, brawl, protest, storm, strife, turmoil, uproar, agitation, bustle, clamor, convulsion, discombobulation, discord, disorganization

How to use anarchism in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for anarchism

anarchism
/ (ˈænəˌkɪzəm) /
noun
political theory a doctrine advocating the abolition of government
the principles or practice of anarchists
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

Cultural definitions for anarchism

anarchism
[ (an-uhr-kiz-uhm) ]

The belief that all existing governmental authority should be abolished and replaced by free cooperation among individuals.

notes for anarchism

Anarchy is sometimes used to refer to any state of chaos or lawlessness.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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