isolationism

American  

[ahy-suh-ley-shuh-niz-uhm, is-uh-] / ˌaɪ səˈleɪ ʃəˌnɪz əm, ˌɪs ə- /

noun

1. the policy or doctrine of isolating one's country from the affairs of other nations by declining to enter into alliances, foreign economic commitments, international agreements, etc., seeking to devote the entire efforts of one's country to its own advancement and remain at peace by avoiding foreign entanglements and responsibilities.

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isolationism British  

/ ˌaɪsəˈleɪʃəˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. a policy of nonparticipation in or withdrawal from international affairs

2. an attitude favouring such a policy

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isolationism Cultural  

1. The doctrine that a nation should stay out of the disputes and affairs of other nations. The United States practiced a policy of isolationism until World War I and did not pursue an active international policy until after World War II. (See “entangling alliances with none.”)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• isolationist
  noun
• anti-isolationism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of isolationism

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25; isolation + -ism

Compare meaning

How does isolationism compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• isolationism vs. interventionism
• isolationism vs. internationalism

Explanation

A nation practicing isolationism stays out of relations with other countries and concentrates on its own business at home. The United States tried to maintain a policy of isolationism — staying out of other countries’ politics — until World War I and even beyond. But World War II and the Cold War ended that. The world keeps shrinking, and governments find it difficult to practice isolationism. Nowadays, nations find they have to get involved in other countries' problems, sometimes to protect their own interests and sometimes for humanitarian reasons.

Example Sentences

A decade ago, I wrote a book with the subtitle “The New Isolationism and the Coming Global Disorder.”

From Seattle Times • Jan. 12, 2024

“Some of these people think, hey, they discovered a new way of looking at the world. Isolationism has been with us for a long time.”

From Washington Post • Feb. 18, 2023

Isolationism never completely went away, but now it operated in the background.

From Textbooks • Jul. 28, 2021

Isolationism arose in the earliest years of this nation’s history.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2016

Isolationism is no longer a dirty word, as it was two decades ago, though it is not yet an altogether respectable one.

From Time Magazine Archive

Related Words

• alienation
• apathy
• callousness
• carelessness
• disdain
• disinterest
• disregard
• inattention
• inertia
• insensitivity
• lack
• negligence
• nonchalance