noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈnæʃənəlɪz(ə)m/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈnaʃənl̩ɪz(ə)m/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈnæʃn̩(ə)lɪz(ə)m/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˈnæʃ(ə)nəˌlɪzəm/
CMU ARPABET:N AE1 SH AH0 N AH0 L IH2 Z AH0 M
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A more extreme form of patriotism; the idea of a more extreme support for one's country, people or culture.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Communists, socialists, and Islamists are against nationalism.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Support for the creation of a sovereign nation (which does not currently exist).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Basque nationalism
Kurdish nationalism
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Support for the union of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Ireland, UK, countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
they rode the same wave of popular patriotism
British nationalism was in the air and patriotic sentiments ran high