fundamentalism

noun

fun·​da·​men·​tal·​ism ˌfən-də-ˈmen-tə-ˌli-zəm How to pronounce fundamentalism (audio)
1
a
often capitalized : a movement in 20th century Protestantism emphasizing the literally interpreted Bible as fundamental to Christian life and teaching
b
: the beliefs of this movement
c
: adherence to such beliefs
a minister noted for his strict fundamentalism
2
: a movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherence to a set of basic principles
Islamic fundamentalism
political fundamentalism
fundamentalist noun
fundamentalist adjective
or fundamentalistic

Examples of fundamentalism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Tehran is accused of reportedly buying uranium in Niger, supplying drones in violation of a U.N. arms embargo to forces in Sudan and promoting the growth of destabilizing Islamist fundamentalism and terrorism on the continent. Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 27 July 2025 Palestinian claims, in his description, were a propaganda tool of Arab nationalism and Islamic fundamentalism. Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025 By the 1920s, the rise of religious fundamentalism and Biblical literalism among evangelical Protestant groups was reshaping America's religious landscape — setting it on a collision course with modern scientific thought. Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 8 July 2025 The bulk of the film has Ahmed’s character and the character of Liev Schreiber’s journalist-CIA officer hashing out topics like the roots of bias and the reasons for fundamentalism. Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for fundamentalism

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fundamentalism was in 1912

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Cite this Entry

“Fundamentalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fundamentalism. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

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