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Meaning & use

capitalistic

adjective·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˌkæpɪtəˈlɪstɪk/
US/ˌkæpɪt̬əˈlɪstɪk/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    relating to an economic system in which businesses are owned by private individuals and run for profit

    Grammar: Used before nouns: a capitalistic economy. It can also follow a linking verb: The system is capitalistic.

    Patterns

    • capitalistic system
    • capitalistic society
    • capitalistic economy

    The country moved toward a more capitalistic economy in the 1990s.

    Critics say the capitalistic system creates too much inequality.

    In a capitalistic society, most businesses are privately owned.

  2. adjectivecomparable

    showing support for or belief in capitalism

    Grammar: Often used to describe people, ideas, or policies: capitalistic views.

    Patterns

    • capitalistic views
    • capitalistic ideas
    • capitalistic policies

    She holds strongly capitalistic views about free markets.

    The party's platform is more capitalistic than it used to be.

Common combinations

capitalistic system
The capitalistic system rewards innovation and competition.
capitalistic economy
A capitalistic economy depends on private investment.
capitalistic society
In a capitalistic society, success is often measured by wealth.
capitalistic values
The novel criticizes capitalistic values.

Synonyms and how they differ

capitalist
Capitalist is more common and can also be a noun; capitalistic sounds more formal and is used mainly as an adjective.
free-market
Free-market emphasizes little government control, while capitalistic emphasizes private ownership for profit.

Opposites

socialisticcommunistic

Word family

capitalism noun
the economic system itself
capitalist noun
a person who supports or profits from capitalism
capital noun
money or property used to start a business

Commonly confused: capitalistic or capital? capitalistic or capitol?

capitalistic vs capital

Capital is a noun or adjective meaning money or a city; capitalistic is the adjective for the economic system.

capitalistic vs capitol

Capitol is a building where a legislature meets; capitalistic relates to capitalism.

Practice

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