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neoconservatism

American  
[nee-oh-kuhn-sur-vuh-tiz-uhm] / ˌni oʊ kənˈsɜr vəˌtɪz əm /

noun

  1. a faction of the conservative political movement that heavily supports the promotion of democracy abroad through military intervention.


Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of neoconservatism

First recorded in 1960–65; neo- + conservatism


Vocabulary lists containing neoconservatism

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.

See Examples For:

Most presidential administrations have claimed to operate according to a foreign policy doctrine of some kind: for instance, neoconservatism, liberal internationalism, isolationism, or realpolitik.

From Salon ● Mar. 14, 2026

Podhoretz and his friend Irving Kristol—also a Brooklyn Jew and a former leftist—were the two foremost exponents of neoconservatism.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 17, 2025

Many figures of the old left took other paths, toward neoconservatism and staunch anticommunism or toward bitterness and despair, but he emerged as a liberal optimist.

From Washington Post ● May 10, 2019

Thus, this great British parliamentarian was the founder of the school of thought known today as neoconservatism.

From Slate ● Apr. 7, 2017

To their domestic neoconservatism, Mr. Podhoretz brought an emphasis on strong foreign policy and military interventionism.

From New York Times ● Mar. 17, 2017

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