iconoclasm

noun

icon·​o·​clasm ī-ˈkä-nə-ˌkla-zəm 

: the doctrine, practice, or attitude of an iconoclast

Examples of iconoclasm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Missing masterpieces For as long as humans have been making art, natural disasters, the ravages of time, theft and iconoclasm have threatened their creations’ survival. —Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Dec. 2024

While Catholics invested in a rich visual tradition that represented God as an old man, the prophet Mohammed resolutely carried iconoclasm forward, focusing exclusively on the word. —Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

Jewish iconoclasm is supported by another facet of Hebraic history: God is said to have spoken directly to the Jews in their own language. —Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

And in much the same way Black Gatsby—who released his debut album, House of Gatsby, in 2022—has challenged character archetypes, he’s applied a kind of iconoclasm to his career. —Alex Ross, People.com, 15 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin īconoclasmus, from īconoclastēs iconoclast + -smus, borrowed from Greek -smos, suffix of verbal action

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined above