Definition of HEGEMONY
- ️Sat Mar 08 2025
2
: the social, cultural, ideological, or economic influence exerted by a dominant group
Did you know?
Hegemony refers to a kind of domination. It was borrowed in the mid-16th century from the Greek word hēgemonia, a noun formed from the verb hēgeisthai, “to lead.” At first hegemony was used specifically to refer to the control once wielded by ancient Greek states; later it was applied to domination by other political actors. By the 19th century, the word had acquired a second sense referring to the social or cultural influence wielded by a dominant entity over others of its kind, a sense employed by design scholar Joshua Langman when describing the use of found objects by French artist Marcel Duchamp (he of notorious readymade Fountain fame) as a means “to question and criticize the values of the artistic hegemony by eschewing craft entirely.”
Synonyms
Examples of hegemony in a Sentence
… the very concept of "scientific truth" can only represent a social construction invented by scientists (whether consciously or not) as a device to justify their hegemony over the study of nature.
—
Stephen Jay Gould, Science, 14 Jan. 2000
When Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union, in June of 1941, distracted Japan's traditional rival for hegemony in East Asia, Japanese expansionists saw a historic opportunity.
—David M. Kennedy, Atlantic, March 1999
If mermaids had ceased to challenge scientific hegemony, other similarly mythological creatures rushed in to fill their places in Victorian hearts and minds.
—Harriet Ritvo, The Platypus and the Mermaid, 1997
They discussed the national government's hegemony over their tribal community. European intellectuals have long debated the consequences of the hegemony of American popular culture around the world.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Unexpected Winner Stablecoins, built to challenge the system, are instead supercharging dollar hegemony in a revolutionary new form—creating a digital pipeline embedding the greenback deeper into the global economy.
—Roomy Khan, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Russian and Chinese interests also seek de-dollarization to prevent U.S. hegemony.
—Victor Rosario, Sacramento Bee, 26 Feb. 2025
At the time, his assertion did not change the reality of U.S. hegemony.
—TIME, 25 Feb. 2025
Over time, the thinking went, this three-part package of U.S. hegemony, political convergence, and economic integration would foster a deep, enduring peace across Eurasia and beyond.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hegemony
Word History
Browse Nearby Words
Cite this Entry
“Hegemony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hegemony. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.
Share
More from Merriam-Webster on hegemony
Last Updated: 8 Mar 2025 - Updated example sentences
Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!