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patriotism

American  
[pey-tree-uh-tiz-uhm, pa-] / ˈpeɪ tri əˌtɪz əm, ˈpæ- /

noun

  1. devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty.


patriotism British  
/ ˈpætrɪəˌtɪzəm /

noun

  1. devotion to one's own country and concern for its defence Compare nationalism

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of patriotism

First recorded in 1720–30; patriot + -ism

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing patriotism

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:

Its website says it stands for patriotism, protecting Britain's borders and supporting working class communities.

From BBC Jul. 10, 2026

Americans celebrated 250 years of independence Saturday with conflicting emotions as pride, hope and patriotism battled with uncertainty and unease over the country's direction.

From Barron's Jul. 4, 2026

“I don’t think it’s a lack of patriotism, so much as a determination that no presidential administration should be able to center itself as the focus of that patriotism,” Rudalevige said.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 3, 2026

It shows up in civic life most glaringly as a corrosive sense of cynicism about patriotism, which in Europe is treated with a wink and a nod.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 2, 2026

That’s teacher talk for: Andy will stand up on a table and sing “God Bless America” at the top of his lungs if he’s giving a report on patriotism.

From "Tears of a Tiger" by Sharon M. Draper

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