minimalism
noun
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In the 1960s, a few composers, including Philip Glass, Steve Reich, and John Adams, began writing music inspired by the music of India and Southeast Asia, often with a quick pulsing beat and chords that are repeated quickly over and over while small changes are slowly introduced. Minimalist art, which began appearing around the same time, tries to strip away all personal elements, often leaving only pure geometric forms; you may have seen the plain silver boxes of Donald Judd, or the straight neon tubes of Bruce Nauman. In literature, the stripped-down fiction of Samuel Beckett and Raymond Carver is often considered minimalist. But there's a real question whether these various types of minimalism should even be considered the same concept.
Examples of minimalism in a Sentence
Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 6 Feb. 2026
Jake Arnold bestows his warm minimalism on this low-pile wool rug from Lulu and Georgia.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 5 Feb. 2026
Both Berry and Markle’s takes on minimalist outerwear harkens back to a certain style evocative of 1990s minimalism, where playful proportions and some nods to tailoring incorporated into statement coats.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 3 Feb. 2026
Just a few years ago, minimalism was all the rage, but now maximalism, color, and a bold decor trend called pattern drenching, are in.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Minimalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minimalism. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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