radicalism

American  

[rad-i-kuh-liz-uhm] / ˈræd ɪ kəˌlɪz əm /

noun

1. extreme views or practices, or the tendency to favor them, as in politics or religion; extremism.

   In the long term, the peace we seek will only be achieved by eliminating the conditions that feed radicalism and ideologies of violence.

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radicalism British  

/ ˈrædɪkəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. the principles, desires, or practices of political radicals

2. a radical movement, esp in politics

3. the state or nature of being radical, esp in politics

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• radicalistically
  adverb
• radicalistic
  adjective
• antiradicalism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of radicalism

First recorded in 1810–20; radical + -ism

Explanation

In political science, the term radicalism is the belief that society needs to be changed, and that these changes are only possible through revolutionary means. Most people think of left-wing politics when they use the noun radicalism, although people on both ends of the spectrum can be described as radical. The word radicalism comes from the Latin radicalis, "of or having roots," which in turn arose from radix, or "root." Both radical and radicalism came out of the idea that political change must "come from the root," or the very basic source of society.

Example Sentences

Especially engaging is her tour of western New York’s Burned-Over District, named for its repeated firestorms of religious innovation and political radicalism in the early 19th century.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

"Extremism, radicalism and populism feed off this lack of trust, disinformation, inequalities, disenchantment with the present and doubts about how to face the future."

From Barron's • Dec. 24, 2025

It operates at the intersections of pop art and high-ish art, of the sacred and profane, of radicalism and die-hardism.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2025

Tracy’s script, a faithful yet singular remake of the 2003 South Korean film, “Save the Green Planet!,” shrewdly analyzes how quickly contemporary hopelessness breeds radicalism.

From Salon • Oct. 31, 2025

In fact, neither the well-worn anecdote about a disenchanted Beethoven ‘scratching out’ the title page of his symphony bearing a dedication to Napoleon, nor the composer’s musical radicalism are quite what they seem.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall