consumerism

noun

con·sum·er·ism kən-ˈsü-mə-ˌri-zəm

-mər-ˌi-

: the theory that an increasing consumption of goods is economically desirable

also : a preoccupation with and an inclination toward the buying of consumer goods

… the contemporary marketplace is shaped solely by the craven needs of lowbrow consumerism … —

Thomas Byrne Edsall

: the promotion of the consumer's interests

consumerist

kən-ˈsü-mə-rist

-mər-ist

noun or adjective

consumeristic

kən-ˌsü-mə-ˈri-stik

-mər-ˈi-

adjective

Examples of consumerism in a Sentence

concerns about increasing consumerism among teenagers

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

With a refreshing sense of purpose, Okpo’s vision for Black creativity and wellbeing defies this tired model of consumerism, offering Harlem and all of New York City a new space that affirms the dynamism and ever-evolving nature of Black life. —

Najha Zigbi-Johnson, Essence, 21 Jan. 2025 Where the original photorealists reflected on the gloss of consumerism, Gonzalez depicts its bleak endpoint. —

Carolina A. Miranda, ARTnews.com, 15 Jan. 2025 Image Oldenburg shared his contemporaries’ suspicion of postwar consumerism, but brought to Pop Art an absurdist streak. —

Max Lakin, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025 Pippa Garner, an artist who poked fun at consumerism in sculptures and performances that gained a cult following, died at 82 in Los Angeles on December 30, 2024. —

Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 2 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for consumerism