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.
Spanish-ruled Louisiana also bought American goods, despite the mercantilist policies set by Madrid.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
China, once a glutton for goods made in Germany, has turned into a mercantilist superpower.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
Meanwhile, Japan and the U.K. are accommodating America’s mercantilist behavior.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2025
Most mercantilist theorists believed government regulation of the economy was necessary to maximize wealth.
From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022
Trade laws.—During the Walpole period the mercantilist economic theories were still the basis of trade regulation.
From The Colonization of North America 1492-1783 by Herbert Eugene Bolton
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