expansionism

American  

[ik-span-shuh-niz-uhm] / ɪkˈspæn ʃəˌnɪz əm /

noun

1. a policy of expansion, as of territory or currency.

   the colonial expansionism of Europe in the 19th century.

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expansionism British  

/ ɪkˈspænʃəˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. the doctrine or practice of expanding the economy or territory of a country

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Other Word Forms

• antiexpansionism noun
• antiexpansionist noun
• expansionist noun
• expansionistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of expansionism

First recorded in 1895–1900; expansion + -ism

Example Sentences

Two World Wars—and the surge in destructive technology—showed that industrial warfare had made territorial expansionism devastating.

From The Wall Street Journal

New Caledonia is central to Macron’s Indo-Pacific strategy and France’s ability to counter China’s expansionism in the region.

From The Wall Street Journal

VE Day was a joint Allied triumph over Nazi Germany; over hatred, dictatorship, the Third Reich's territorial expansionism and heinous crimes against humanity.

From BBC

The view from Eastern Europe, on Nato's front line, gives a much sharper perspective on issues around Russian expansionism, Catlyn says.

From BBC

Later it became standard fare she studied in high school: the engineering feat connecting two oceans, a formative adventure in American expansionism, an early notch on Teddy Roosevelt’s belt.

From New York Times

Related Words

• imperialism