Dictionary.com

imperialism

[ im-peer-ee-uh-liz-uhm ]
/ ɪmˈpɪər i əˌlɪz əm /
See synonyms for: imperialism / imperialist on Thesaurus.com

noun

the policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies.
advocacy of imperial or sovereign interests over the interests of the dependent states.
imperial government; rule by an emperor or empress.
an imperial system of government.
British. the policy of so uniting the separate parts of an empire with separate governments as to secure for certain purposes a single state.

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Origin of imperialism

First recorded in 1855–60; imperial1 + -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM imperialism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to imperialism

development, progress, expansionism, colonialism, neocolonialism

Example sentences from the Web for imperialism

British Dictionary definitions for imperialism

imperialism
/ (ɪmˈpɪərɪəˌlɪzəm) /

noun

the policy or practice of extending a state's rule over other territories
an instance or policy of aggressive behaviour by one state against another
the extension or attempted extension of authority, influence, power, etc, by any person, country, institution, etccultural imperialism
a system of imperial government or rule by an emperor
the spirit, character, authority, etc, of an empire
advocacy of or support for any form of imperialism

Derived forms of imperialism

imperialist, adjective, nounimperialistic, adjectiveimperialistically, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for imperialism

imperialism

Acquisition by a government of other governments or territories, or of economic or cultural power over other nations or territories, often by force. Colonialism is a form of imperialism.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.