careerism

American  

[kuh-reer-iz-uhm] / kəˈrɪər ɪz əm /

noun

1. devotion to a successful career, often at the expense of one's personal life, ethics, etc.

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Etymology

Origin of careerism

First recorded in 1930–35; career + -ism

Example Sentences

Children are a responsibility: a limitation on us in an age of careerism and radical individualism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

Mazor points out that they were in fact vastly different in temperament, Phil’s pragmatic careerism running counter to Don’s more free-spirited approach.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 18, 2025

One KGB document revealed that Golitsyn’s “treason” was very damaging to the KGB and was the result of careerism.

From Washington Times • Jan. 1, 2023

“Why Most Published Research Findings Are False” demonstrated the many ways in which researchers’ sloppiness, personal bias, careerism, financial incentives and thirst for publicity could lead them to dubious findings.

From Washington Post • Dec. 16, 2020

And after a few years students could embrace mean careerism.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez