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Definition of expressionism

expressionism

/ɪkˈsprɛʃ.ən.ɪz.əm/
ex · pres · sion · ism
Adverb:expressionistically
•
Adjective:expressionist
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expressionism Lexical Profile

expressionism Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A modernist movement and style in visual art, literature, music, theater, and cinema that originated in early 20th-century Germany, seeking to express subjective emotional experience rather than objective physical reality, often through vivid distortion and exaggeration.

Example

"The museum's new exhibition explores how German expressionism used jagged lines and bold colors to convey modern anxiety."

Antonyms
View all antonyms for expressionism

Word Nuance & Usage

Do not confuse with 'impressionism', which captures fleeting sensory impressions of light and nature, whereas 'expressionism' distorts reality to convey intense inner emotional states.

• Rhymes for expressionism

• Nearby Words

expresser
expressible
expression
expressionism
expressionist
expressionless
expressionlessly

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the early 20th century from 'expression' + '-ism', popularized in German as 'Expressionismus' to contrast with 'Impressionismus' (impressionism).

Cite this Entry

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