Word

jingoism

noun C1

/ˈd͡ʒɪŋɡəʊɪz(ə)m/

Meanings

noun

aggressive, extreme nationalism, especially when it encourages hostility or warlike policies toward other countries

Definition

Jingoism is aggressive, extreme nationalism that supports a country’s interests, often in a hostile or militaristic way.

Jingoism describes an attitude of loud, aggressive patriotism that insists a nation is always right and should act forcefully toward others. It often appears in political speeches or media that promote hostility to other countries. The word is usually negative, suggesting prejudice and a readiness to support conflict.

Examples

I was uneasy at the jingoism in the broadcast, which treated diplomacy as weakness.
You can hear jingoism in his speeches when he talks about other countries as enemies by default.
She criticized the newspaper’s jingoism for turning a complex dispute into a simple us-versus-them story.
They worried that the campaign’s jingoism would inflame tensions and silence reasonable debate.

Common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse jingoism with ordinary patriotism, but jingoism implies aggressive, hostile nationalism and is usually critical.