nationalism

[nash-uh-nl-iz-uhm, nash-nuh-liz-]

noun

1. spirit or aspirations common to the whole of a nation.

   He describes how the intense and unconquerable nationalism of India’s hundreds of millions contributed to the decline of the British empire.

2. devotion and loyalty to one's own country; patriotism.

   The promotion of a healthy nationalism is part of the responsibility of the leaders of a newly independent, diverse nation.

3. excessive patriotism; chauvinism.

   This kind of nationalism, intolerance, or imperialism seems to occur even in the best democracies.

4. the desire for national advancement or political independence.

   A surge in Quebec nationalism led to the formation of the Parti Québécois, which was committed to a political route to Quebec independence.

5. the policy or doctrine of asserting the interests of one's own nation viewed as separate from the interests of other nations or of the international community.

   There’s a struggle between integration and global values on the one hand, and uncompromising nationalism on the other.

6. an idiom or trait peculiar to a nation.

7. a movement, as in the arts, based upon the folk idioms, history, aspirations, etc., of a nation.

nationalism

/ ˈnæʃnə-, ˈnæʃənəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. a sentiment based on common cultural characteristics that binds a population and often produces a policy of national independence or separatism

2. loyalty or devotion to one's country; patriotism

3. exaggerated, passionate, or fanatical devotion to a national community See also chauvinism

nationalism

1. The strong belief that the interests of a particular nation-state are of primary importance. Also, the belief that a people who share a common language, history, and culture should constitute an independent nation, free of foreign domination.

Nationalism is opposed to colonialism and imperialism.

Other Word Forms

• antinationalism noun
• nonnationalism noun
• pronationalism noun
• seminationalism noun
• nationalistic adjective
• nationalist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of nationalism¹

First recorded in 1830–40; national ( def. ) + -ism ( def. )

Example Sentences

With Christian nationalism on the rise, America needs the theological counterpoint that progressive congregations provide.

Read more on Salon

But Rosenkranz has faced widespread criticism for his membership of a student fraternity known for its strident pan-German nationalism, and the country's main Jewish organisation has ruled out working with him.

Read more on Barron's

Despite its critics, nationalism isn’t always a malevolent force.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It’s a dispiriting irony that just when the world needs more internationalism to address climate change, economic inequality and pandemics, among other devastating realities, it’s also experiencing an upsurge in nationalism propagated by the sovereignistas.

Read more on Salon

“A free-enterprise country elects a president who embraces protectionism, economic nationalism, and state intervention,” he writes.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• fanaticism 
• jingoism