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.

---

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

---

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

Explanation

Hegemony is political or cultural dominance or authority over others. The hegemony of the popular kids over the other students means that they determine what is and is not cool. Hegemony comes from the Greek hegemon "leader." Wealthy lender nations hoping to determine political outcomes and trade decisions have established hegemony over the debtor nations they lend to. As well as the dominance of one group or nation over others, hegemony is also the term for the leading group or nation itself. During the American Revolution, colonists fought to throw off the British hegemony.

Example Sentences

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

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

It’s a potent reminder of Western European hegemony.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 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

The first period of hegemony was that of Chavin, which from about 700 b.c. to the dawn of the Christian era controlled the central coast of Peru and the adjacent mountains.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann