as in hostility
tendency to extend power or control over others especially through the use of force
Violent conquer of other nations is one extreme form of imperialism.
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Recent Examples of imperialism
When Charles was set to come face to face with one of the brightest, youngest faces of American politics, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, he was met with only a coldness and reminder of the crimes of British imperialism.
—
Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026
The way to crush imperialism has been shown to the world.
—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
And Kipling, of course, was the great poet of British imperialism, but 1897 was the year of Queen Victoria’s 60th anniversary on the throne.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
Though local histories differ, fossil capitalism and the imperialism that sustains it have produced a regional trauma carried across borders in memory, bodies and ecosystems.
—Mehrnoush Soroush, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imperialism
Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026
The way to crush imperialism has been shown to the world.
—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
And Kipling, of course, was the great poet of British imperialism, but 1897 was the year of Queen Victoria’s 60th anniversary on the throne.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
Though local histories differ, fossil capitalism and the imperialism that sustains it have produced a regional trauma carried across borders in memory, bodies and ecosystems.
—Mehrnoush Soroush, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imperialism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperialism
Noun
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As this sequence plays out, the social fabric further shreds and unravels; trust circles shrink and become ever more homogeneous; and hostility, mean spiritedness, and a general hardening take hold in society.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
-
The president did send a letter to Congress, just to recap, saying that hostilities have been terminated, given the ceasefire that was put in place on April 7th.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
For her, this was practically homicidal aggression.—
Chang-rae Lee,
New Yorker,
3 May 2026
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Race, bad bosses and the fly-on-the-wall fun of watching office politics and micro-aggressions play out makes this workplace suspense novel a total page-turner (as well as a binge-worthy limited television series).—
Laura Zigman,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
Noun
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His work often serves as commentary on polarizing issues, including migration, militarism, politics and capitalism.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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Moreover, in conflict and humanitarian situations, violence against LGBTQ+ people shares some key root causes driving violence against women and girls, such as restrictive gender norms and militarism.—
Jenna Norosky,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This was an era of over-the-top displays of patriotism and even jingoism; the phrase Let’s make America great again was in.—
Jonathan Lemire,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
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Tapping into national pride — dare say jingoism — might have done the trick.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Embiid’s aggressiveness early — along with Tyrese Maxey’s speed and ability to put defenders in bad positions — put the Knicks in unfavorable foul trouble early.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
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The team with the league’s highest payroll going down in the first round to a heavy underdog is bad for business, but Allen changed the entire dynamic with his defensive aggressiveness and rebounding.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imperialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperialism. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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