imperialism

[im-peer-ee-uh-liz-uhm]

noun

1. the policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies.

2. advocacy of imperial or sovereign interests over the interests of the dependent states.

3. imperial government; rule by an emperor or empress.

4. an imperial system of government.

5. British.,  the policy of so uniting the separate parts of an empire with separate governments as to secure for certain purposes a single state.

imperialism

/ ɪmˈpɪərɪəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. the policy or practice of extending a state's rule over other territories

2. an instance or policy of aggressive behaviour by one state against another

3. the extension or attempted extension of authority, influence, power, etc, by any person, country, institution, etc

   cultural imperialism

4. a system of imperial government or rule by an emperor

5. the spirit, character, authority, etc, of an empire

6. advocacy of or support for any form of imperialism

imperialism

1. Acquisition by a government of other governments or territories, or of economic or cultural power over other nations or territories, often by force. Colonialism is a form of imperialism.

Other Word Forms

• imperialistic adjective
• imperialist noun
• imperialistically adverb
• nonimperialistic adjective
• nonimperialistically adverb
• unimperialistic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of imperialism¹

First recorded in 1855–60; imperial ¹ + -ism

Example Sentences

“Cortez the Killer” shimmers into existence, and a listener might contemplate that while it’s another one of Young’s monumental mid-’70s mythic journeys, it’s also essentially a story about imperialism.

From Salon

"I was not a supporter of British imperialism, in fact I detested it," Yavar tells me.

From BBC

Guevara, one year younger, was a physician from a middle-class Buenos Aires’ upbringing brimming with revolutionary fervor — and a vision of a pan-Latin American socialist union, free of U.S. “imperialism.”

From Los Angeles Times

Independence Day — and was advertised as a protest against “American imperialism.”

From Los Angeles Times

“My parents are migrants from El Salvador, and so it’s really personal to me, because it’s U.S. imperialism that impacted our community. ... No one chooses to leave their home. No one willingly wants to leave.”

From Los Angeles Times