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Definition of declinism

declinism

/dɪˈklaɪnɪzəm/
de · clin · ism
Adjective:declinist
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declinism Lexical Profile

declinism Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The belief or pessimistic predisposition that a particular country, society, institution, or civilization is in an inevitable state of economic, cultural, or political decline.

Example

"Historians argued that the pervasive sense of declinism in the media exaggerated the nation's temporary economic challenges."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for declinism

• Nearby Words

declaw
decline
decliner
declinism
declutter
deco
decodable

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the late 20th century by political scientist Samuel P. Huntington, combining the English word "decline" (from Latin declinare, meaning "to bend aside" or "turn away") with the ideological suffix "-ism".

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Declinism. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/declinism
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