individualism

American  

[in-duh-vij-oo-uh-liz-uhm] / ˌɪn dəˈvɪdʒ u əˌlɪz əm /

noun

1. a social theory advocating the liberty, rights, or independent action of the individual.

2. the principle or habit of or belief in independent thought or action.

3. the pursuit of individual rather than common or collective interests; egoism.

4. individual character; individuality.

5. an individual peculiarity.

6. Philosophy.

   1. the doctrine that only individual things are real.

   2. the doctrine or belief that all actions are determined by, or at least take place for, the benefit of the individual, not of society as a whole.

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individualism British  

/ ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. the action or principle of asserting one's independence and individuality; egoism

2. an individual quirk or peculiarity

3. another word for laissez faire

4. philosophy the doctrine that only individual things exist and that therefore classes or properties have no reality Compare Platonism realism

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individualism Cultural  

1. A view that stresses the importance and worth of each person. In economics, it is the doctrine that individuals best serve the public interest by pursuing their own self-interest. For example, the businessman who expands his company to increase his profits also creates jobs for many people and thereby serves the public interest. (See laissez-faire.)

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Other Word Forms

• overindividualism
  noun
• superindividualism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of individualism

First recorded in 1825–35; individual + -ism

Explanation

Individualism is all about taking care of yourself; it is the belief and practice that every person is unique and self-reliant. A belief in individualism also implies that you believe that the government should bud out of your individual affairs. The concept of individualism is rooted in historical contexts where people’s personal differences were dismissed or even punished by the ruling body. In particular, the United States is known for having a strong bent towards individualism because it was founded by people who sought the freedom to practice whatever religion they chose. The counterpoints to individualism are socialism and communism (among others). Those who prefer individualism often site fear of governmental control over their life decisions as reason for that inclination.

Example Sentences

The best critic of liberal individualism is Tocqueville in Democracy in America.

From Slate • May 16, 2026

After meeting with Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in 1984, President Reagan believed that market reforms could move China toward American-style capitalism, democracy and individualism.

From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026

And even if rugged individualism was his brand, he still existed in a world that defined him and which is largely left on the margins here.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

So I’ll leave us with a bit of his advice for the future: “Be agents of communion, capable of breaking down the logic of division and polarization, of individualism and egocentrism.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 28, 2025

The country that scores highest on the individualism end of that scale is the United States.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• individuality