mercantilist
Americanadjective
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supporting or reflecting the mercantile system; promoting economic protectionism or the aggressive pursuit of a favorable balance of trade.
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embracing the attitudes and values of commercialism.
noun
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a person who favors the principles of the mercantile system.
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a person who embraces the attitudes and values of commercialism.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Meanwhile, Japan and the U.K. are accommodating America’s mercantilist behavior.
From Barron's • Oct. 16, 2025
Critics say China has gained an edge in key industries with mercantilist policies supporting domestic firms in the global marketplace.
From Washington Times • Apr. 21, 2023
How did mercantilist policies hurt the working class?
From Textbooks • Dec. 14, 2022
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, mercantilist theory was embraced by most European nations, especially France and England.
From Textbooks • Dec. 14, 2022
The mercantilist doctrine that a colony existed for the benefit of the mother country was gospel at Fontainebleau.
From Crusaders of New France A Chronicle of the Fleur-de-Lis in the Wilderness Chronicles of America, Volume 4 by Munro, William Bennett
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
