paradigm shift

American  

[par-uh-dahym shift] / ˈpær ə daɪm ˌʃɪft /

noun

1. a dramatic change in the paradigm of a scientific community, or a change from one scientific paradigm to another.

2. a significant change in the paradigm of any discipline or group.

   Putting skilled, tenured teachers in failing schools would cause a paradigm shift in teaching and education.

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paradigm shift British  

noun

1. a radical change in underlying beliefs or theory

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Etymology

Origin of paradigm shift

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

If the climber is found guilty it could mean "a paradigm shift for mountain sports", says Austria's Der Standard newspaper.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

“That’s been a total paradigm shift in how the U.S. looks at these things,” said Morgan Bazilian, director of the Payne Institute at the Colorado School of Mines.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

Further evidence of a paradigm shift: Enthusiastic theatergoers thronging to “Malinche the Musical,” the brainchild of Nacho Cano, a Spanish rock star turned impresario.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2026

We’ve heard this argument before: Mature quantum computers could lead to a paradigm shift, offering speed-ups in areas such as drug discovery and financial modeling.

From Barron's • Dec. 11, 2025

You could see he was enjoying the paradigm shift.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides