Stoicism

[ stoh-uh-siz-uh m ]

/ ˈstoʊ əˌsɪz əm /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR Stoicism ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a systematic philosophy, dating from around 300 b.c., that held the principles of logical thought to reflect a cosmic reason instantiated in nature.

(lowercase) conduct conforming to the precepts of the Stoics, as repression of emotion and indifference to pleasure or pain.

Origin of Stoicism

First recorded in 1620–30; Stoic + -ism

SYNONYMS FOR Stoicism

2 See patience.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR Stoicism ON THESAURUS.COM

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for stoicism

Without overshadowing his talented counterparts, Cedar commands the stage with a meticulous mix of stoicism and candor.
The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson (And Tolstoy and Dickens)|Samuel Fragoso|October 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Stoicism has an appeal for anyone who faces uncertainty–that is, for all of us.
Obama the Stoic|Justin Green|October 1, 2012|DAILY BEAST
There are no first, second, and third prizes for stoicism or grief.
Gabrielle Giffords' Difficult Path Back From a Brain Injury|Lee Woodruff|January 12, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The broader point is that we need, constantly, to recalibrate our bandwidth of stoicism.
Stop Punishing Fliers|Tunku Varadarajan|December 28, 2009|DAILY BEAST

For Democrats, election-day heavy heartedness, the loser's stoicism, had become a way of life.
The Capital Goes Nuts|Simon Schama|November 6, 2008|DAILY BEAST
But the active enthusiasm of a real religion—the effective desire to be in right relation with the Power—was strange to Stoicism.
The Religious Experience of the Roman People|W. Warde Fowler
In spite of all his Indian stoicism, Curumilla literally seized the food as soon as it appeared, and devoured it greedily.
The Pearl of the Andes|Gustave Aimard
The stoicism that comes of endurance has something of death in it.
Lazarre|Mary Hartwell Catherwood
Bela sat looking at nothing with all the stoicism of her red ancestors; Sam maintained his futile pretence of business.
The Huntress|Hulbert Footner
Modern philosophies continued the basic trend in Stoicism in making the subjective consciousness the foundation of philosophy.
The Enchiridion|Epictetus

British Dictionary definitions for stoicism

stoicism

/ (ˈstəʊɪˌsɪzəm) /

noun

indifference to pleasure and pain

(capital) the philosophy of the Stoics

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

Culture definitions for stoicism

Stoicism

[ (stoh-uh-siz-uhm) ]

A philosophy that flourished in ancient Greece and Rome. Stoics believed that people should strictly restrain their emotions in order to attain happiness and wisdom; hence, they refused to demonstrate either joy or sorrow.