anarchism
Americannoun
-
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.
noun
-
political theory a doctrine advocating the abolition of government
-
the principles or practice of anarchists
Discover More
Anarchy is sometimes used to refer to any state of chaos or lawlessness.
Other Word Forms
- proanarchism noun
- semianarchism noun
Etymology
Origin of anarchism
Compare meaning
How does anarchism compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
If you're a proponent of anarchism, you believe in a political system that does away with all government. Someone who favors anarchism can be described as an anarchist, a person who places the most political importance on individual freedom, especially from powerful governments. Anarchism is a political philosophy that opposes hierarchies — systems in which a more powerful person or group is in charge — and favors equality between all people. The Greek root word of anarchism is anarkhia, "lack of a leader," or "the state of no government."
Vocabulary lists containing anarchism
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.
Other themes included veganism – total avoidance of any animal food or products – and anarchism.
From BBC • Feb. 20, 2025
Malcolm McLaren settled on anarchism as the philosophy for the Sex Pistols, which were launched as a marketing tool for his fashion shop Sex with Vivienne Westwood in London.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 10, 2023
I was studying — like everybody else those days — Marxism, anarchism.
From New York Times • Feb. 20, 2023
One defense of anarchism is that governments do things that would be impermissible for private individuals.
From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022
The core belief of anarchism is that government is oppressive and that people will be free only when they can govern themselves directly.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
