hegemony

American  

[hi-jem-uh-nee, hej-uh-moh-nee] / hɪˈdʒɛm ə ni, ˈhɛdʒ əˌmoʊ ni /

noun

plural

hegemonies

1. leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others, as in a confederation.

2. leadership; predominance.

3. (especially among smaller nations) aggression or expansionism by large nations in an effort to achieve world domination.

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hegemony British  

/ hɪˈɡɛmənɪ, ˌhɛɡəˈmɒnɪk /

noun

1. ascendancy or domination of one power or state within a league, confederation, etc, or of one social class over others

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Other Word Forms

• antihegemony noun
• hegemonic adjective
• hegemonical adjective

Etymology

Origin of hegemony

First recorded in 1560–70; from Greek hēgemonía “leadership, supremacy,” equivalent to hēgemon- (stem of hēgemṓn ) “leader” + -ia -y ³

Example Sentences

Among the young, "hegemony" has slipped into everyday speech, shorthand for India's long shadow over Bangladesh.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

Cycles of great-power rivalry, where leading states grasped ineffectively for hegemony, shaped the emergence of both dynastic empires and modern nations while testing statesmen.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

She said she had enjoyed some of the newer spaces even more because they were "creating new ways to experience nightlife" outside what she called "the hegemony of the big Berlin clubs".

From Barron's • Oct. 16, 2025

Butchart opines that the rest of the world is – explicitly or implicitly – opposed to unchallenged U.S. financial hegemony.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 16, 2025

They were convinced that he was continuing to grow as a player, and that unless something were done quickly, he’d smash the Soviets’ hegemony.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady