neutralism

American  

[noo-truh-liz-uhm, nyoo-] / ˈnu trəˌlɪz əm, ˈnyu- /

noun

1. the policy or advocacy of maintaining strict neutrality in foreign affairs.

2. Biology. the theory that some changes in evolution are governed by random mutations that become fixed in populations by chance rather than by natural selection.

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neutralism British  

/ ˈnjuːtrəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. (in international affairs) the policy, practice, or attitude of neutrality, noninvolvement, or nonalignment with power blocs

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Other Word Forms

• antineutralism noun
• neutralist noun

Etymology

Origin of neutralism

First recorded in 1570–80; neutral + -ism

Example Sentences

Globalizing impulses helped bring about a flourishing of neutralism.

From The New Yorker • Jun. 18, 2018

My neutralism has its limits: I will doggedly follow the progress of England’s national team in the World Cup, which is now under way in Russia.

From The New Yorker • Jun. 18, 2018

The situation is not helped by Secretary-General U Thant, a far less forceful personality than his predecessor and a vague advocate of neutralism.

From Time Magazine Archive

Cassandra now scorns Bevan's and Nehru's "neutralism" with the same scorn he once heaped on the U.S.

From Time Magazine Archive

He stood for the evasion of a great issue; for intellectual and moral cowardice, for nauseous neutralism.

From Brann the Iconoclast — Volume 10 by Brann, William Cowper