Word

modernism

noun C1

UK /ˈmɒd.ən.ɪ.zəm/

US /ˈmɑːdɚˌnɪzəm/

Meanings

noun

a cultural and artistic movement that rejected traditional forms and experimented with new styles in response to modern life

modernism: a cultural and artistic movement that rejected traditional forms and experimented with new styles in response to…

noun

a style in architecture and design that favors simplicity, function, clean lines, and minimal ornament

Definition

Modernism is a movement in art, literature, and architecture that deliberately broke with traditional styles to experiment with new forms and ideas.

Modernism is a broad cultural movement from the late 19th and early 20th centuries that challenged established artistic rules. It often emphasizes innovation, fragmentation, and a focus on modern life and subjective experience. In different fields, it can refer to experimental writing techniques, bold visual styles, or functional design. People use the term to describe both the movement itself and works influenced by it.

Examples

I wrote my thesis on modernism and how it reshaped narrative voice in the early twentieth century.
You can see modernism in the building’s clean geometry and its refusal to imitate older ornament.
She argues that modernism wasn’t just a style but a radical shift in how artists understood perception.
They traced modernism through the exhibition, noticing how each room pushed further away from realism.

Common mistake

Learners often confuse modernism (a specific historical movement) with modern (simply contemporary) and use the terms interchangeably.