patriotism
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of patriotism
Explanation
If you're full of patriotism, you're full of love for your country. Patriotism is associated with serving your country and waving the flag. There are, actually, a lot of ways to demonstrate your patriotism. Waving the flag is an obvious way, but anything that celebrates your country or makes it stronger is a great display of patriotism. Whenever a country is at war, people are more vocal about their patriotism, playing patriotic songs and making speeches full of national pride. Showing patriotism is so important that politicians will argue with each other about who really has more patriotism.
Vocabulary lists containing patriotism
Memorial Day Words
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Not Your Father's Word List: Pater, Patr
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Human Geography - Middle School
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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.
"I do not want to entrust national pride to the wrong people," said Klopp, who prefers the term "positive patriotism" to "national pride", which he fears can be misunderstood.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
An immense wave of patriotism followed the 9/11 attacks, with American flags displayed throughout the nation, while Bush saw record-high approval ratings.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
Before Sept. 11 became an argument about war, security, patriotism or political allegiance, it was an encounter with human vulnerability and then human resilience.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
He found a major intragenerational gap: In 1969, only 35% of college students said patriotism was an important value, compared with 60% of noncollege young people.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
The Daily Mail says Galtieri's brand of patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
