Word

romanticism

noun C1

/ɹəʊˈmæntɪsɪzəm/

Meanings

noun

a cultural movement in art, literature, and music that emphasizes emotion, imagination, and nature

noun

an approach or style that idealizes life and prioritizes emotion and imagination over practicality

Definition

Romanticism is an artistic and literary movement that emphasized emotion, imagination, and the power of nature over strict rules and reason.

Romanticism was a major cultural movement in Europe and North America in the late 18th and 19th centuries. It valued strong feeling, personal freedom, and creativity, often reacting against rationalism and industrialization. Romantic writers and artists frequently focused on dramatic landscapes, the individual, and the mysterious or sublime. The term can also describe a style or attitude that prioritizes emotion and idealized visions.

Examples

I wrote my thesis on Romanticism and how it reshaped ideas of the self in European poetry.
You can hear Romanticism in the symphony’s sweeping melodies and sudden shifts in mood.
She argues that Romanticism challenged the cold logic of the Enlightenment by putting feeling first.
They criticized his Romanticism because it made him overlook the project’s practical constraints.

Common mistake

Learners often confuse Romanticism (the historical cultural movement) with romance (love stories) and use the terms interchangeably.