unionism

noun

union·​ism ˈyün-yə-ˌni-zəm How to pronounce unionism (audio)
: the principle or policy of forming or adhering to a union: such as
a
capitalized : adherence to the policy of a firm federal union between the states of the United States especially during the Civil War period
b
: the principles, theory, advocacy, or system of trade unions

Examples of unionism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Advertisement This win came under the leadership of Shawn Fain, who has rejected the corrupt business unionism of his predecessors and embraced the militant spirit of the Congress of Industrial Organizations of the mid-20th century. Jim Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Nov. 2023 In this period, Jacobs, who grew up in South Africa and came of age in the 1980s, told me, unionism evolved beyond the narrow concerns of the shop floor, into a labor movement that could make connections between apartheid and the conditions of workers. Liza Featherstone, The New Republic, 29 Oct. 2021 So the prospect for a serious crackdown on private tyranny and a new surge of unionism will depend, as in earlier eras, on the emergence of mass movements that organize for those ends and consistent electoral triumphs by a party that favors them. Michael Kazin, The New Republic, 8 Sep. 2023 In their transition from Roosevelt’s New Deal coalition to Bill Clinton’s New Democrats, the party gave up its historical support for unionism and redistribution and became enamored with the idea that a rising tide of education would lift all boats. Jennifer C. Berkshire, The New Republic, 16 May 2023 Advertisement After playing a few songs in Belfast, Bono called onto the stage the leaders of unionism and nationalism: David Trimble, a leading Protestant politician in Northern Ireland, and John Hume, an advocate of nonviolence who led Northern Ireland’s largest Catholic political party. Amanda Ferguson, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2023 The enemy is the violence itself, generated by the feedback loop of Nationalism and unionism. Joseph Patrick Kelly, The Conversation, 5 Apr. 2023 The days of pure and simple bread-and-butter unionism in UTLA are over. Howard Blumestaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2023 Isn’t trade unionism incompatible with employee ownership? Mary Josephs, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unionism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unionism was in 1831

Dictionary Entries Near unionism

Cite this Entry

“Unionism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unionism. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unionism

noun
union·​ism ˈyün-yə-ˌniz-əm How to pronounce unionism (audio)
1
: the principle or policy of forming or keeping a union
2
capitalized : support of a strong federal union before or during the American Civil War
3
: a theory or policy that supports labor unions
unionist
-yə-nəst
noun often capitalized

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