Meaning & use
jingoism
Last updated
UK/ˈdʒɪŋɡəʊɪzəm/
US/ˈdʒɪŋɡoʊɪzəm/
Usage warning: this word is disapproving. It shows a negative opinion, so take care with who and what you use it about.
Meaning
noununcountable
Loud, aggressive pride in your own country, together with eagerness to threaten or fight other nations.
Grammar: No plural or article: a wave of jingoism.
Patterns
- a wave of jingoism
- an outbreak of jingoism
Newspapers whipped up jingoism before the war.
The politician's jingoism alarmed neighboring countries.
Common combinations
- wave of jingoism
- A wave of jingoism swept the capital.
- rampant jingoism
- Rampant jingoism dominated the debate.
- whip up jingoism
- The broadcaster tried to whip up jingoism.
- mindless jingoism
- The rally was mindless jingoism.
Synonyms and how they differ
- chauvinism
- Stresses blind belief in your nation's superiority more than hunger for war.
- ultranationalism
- Is a political term for extreme nationalism.
- warmongering
- Focuses on pushing for war, not on national pride.
Opposites
Word family
- jingoist noun
- a person who shows jingoism
- jingoistic adjective
- aggressively nationalistic
Commonly confused: jingoism or patriotism?
jingoism vs patriotism
Patriotism is love of country and is usually positive, while jingoism is aggressive and critical.
Practice
Which word best describes a speech demanding war to defend national honor?
Choose one answer.
Jingoism means aggressive nationalism and war-readiness. The others do not describe this.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “jingoism”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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