restrictionism

noun

re·​stric·​tion·​ism ri-ˈstrik-shə-ˌni-zəm How to pronounce restrictionism (audio)
: a policy or philosophy favoring restriction (as of trade or immigration)
restrictionist
ri-ˈstrik-sh(ə-)nist How to pronounce restrictionism (audio)
adjective or noun

Examples of restrictionism in a Sentence

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.
After all the shouting, the reflexive restrictionism of the Trump era has become the default—and Biden, at least, doesn’t want to go back. — Felipe De La Hoz, The New Republic, 1 Mar. 2023 Populists mostly support the policy changes that Donald Trump brought about in the Republican Party — in favor of a more aggressive stance in the culture war, immigration restrictionism, a corporatist turn in economics, and antitrust actions against tech companies. — Damon Linker, The Week, 13 July 2021 Brimelow's book landed just as immigration politics was taking a hard turn toward restrictionism. — Nicole Hemmer, CNN, 15 Apr. 2021 Once a lonely cause, restrictionism had grown into a mature movement — an intellectual ecosystem of sorts — with groups specializing in areas as diverse as litigation and voter mobilization. — Jason Deparle, New York Times, 17 Aug. 2019 See All Example Sentences for restrictionism

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of restrictionism was in 1840

Rhymes for restrictionism

See All Rhymes for restrictionism

Browse Nearby Words

restriction fragment length polymorphism
restrictionism
restrictionist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Restrictionism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restrictionism. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All