Populism Meaning
/pˈɑpjəˌlɪzəm/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA political doctrine or philosophy that proposes that the rights and powers of ordinary people are exploited by a privileged elite, and supports their struggle to overcome this.
nounThe practice of appealing to the interests of the common people.
Sentence Examples
There is resurgent populism around the globe, not just in this country.
In Europe, there is an increase in populism.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The politician's ____ appealed to ordinary people by constantly criticizing the elites.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The rise of ____ in many democracies has challenged traditional political parties and institutions.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Italic *poplos Old Latin populus Latin populus Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English populism From Latin populus + English -ism.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"In the early 21st century, the tide of populism in Western countries has been primarily driven by demographic shifts, deindustrialization, inflation, a hostile cultural climate, and a collapse in social cohesion."
— 2025 May 2, Endeavour, “Against Slopulism”, in Counter-Currents, archived from the original on 21 Jun 2025:
"It is not crass populism or majoritanianism that ratifies the legitimacy of the polity or the administration."
— 2006, Prasanta Chakravarty, Like Parchment in the Fire, page 104:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The politician's ____ appealed to ordinary people by constantly criticizing the elites.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The rise of ____ in many democracies has challenged traditional political parties and institutions.