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.

---

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

---

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.)

---

Other Word Forms

• overindividualism noun
• superindividualism noun

Etymology

Origin of individualism

First recorded in 1825–35; individual + -ism

Example Sentences

We became apex predators not because of individualism but because of a sense of community.

From Salon • Jan. 2, 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

Researchers say the trend is part of a broader move toward individualism among urban professionals, particularly women.

From Barron's • Dec. 27, 2025

Some historians find its origins in the secular individualism of the 18th-century Enlightenment, or in the earlier political thought of John Locke or Thomas Hobbes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 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