imperialistic

American  

[im-peer-ee-uhl-ist-ik] / ɪmˌpɪər i əlˈɪst ɪk /

adjective

1. seeking to extend the rule of an empire over foreign countries or to acquire and hold colonies.

2. promoting the interests of an empire or of a colonial or postcolonial power over the interests of its dependent states or populations.

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Explanation

A government is imperialistic if it places the importance of its own strength and size over the rights and happiness of the world's people. Imperialistic countries are those that are so determined to build their political and economic power that their governments take advantage of less powerful countries, as well as their own citizens. Some examples of imperialistic actions include invading a country and enslaving its native inhabitants, or making use of extremely cheap foreign labor in order to become wealthy. The root of imperialistic is the Latin word for "emperor," imperialis.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

imperialistic

“It was one of the most important times in modern history, a time period where young white, Black, Latino, Asian people were rising up and challenging this imperialistic nature of America,” he said.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 14, 2024

Francis “certainly didn’t want to exalt imperialistic logic or government personalities, who were cited to indicate certain historic periods of reference,” Bruni said in a statement.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 29, 2023

As if the last 13 years hadn't happened, we are once again fed the plot of an evil imperialistic force fighting against a nature-loving indigenous population.

From Salon ● Dec. 17, 2022

Germany’s territorial ambitions put it in direct conflict with other imperialistic powers as it sought to expand its colonial holdings.

From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022

Abigail seconded the assessment, calling Hamilton “a second Buonaparty” whose imperialistic designs could only be guessed at.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis