me-tooism: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, journalistic, critical
Quick answer
What does “me-tooism” mean?
The practice of copying or adopting ideas, products, or stances primarily because they are popular or successful elsewhere.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The practice of copying or adopting ideas, products, or stances primarily because they are popular or successful elsewhere.
Derivative behaviour in business, politics, or social movements, where an entity mimics others to gain acceptance or market share without genuine innovation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More common in American business/political commentary. UK usage often appears in media analysis of politics.
Connotations
Equally negative in both varieties, implying unoriginality and bandwagon-jumping.
Frequency
Low frequency in both, but slightly higher in American English due to business lexicon.
Grammar
How to Use “me-tooism” in a Sentence
[Subject] is accused of me-tooism.[Subject]’s strategy was dismissed as me-tooism.The market suffers from me-tooism.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “me-tooism” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The opposition party was criticised for me-tooing the government's policies.
- They seem to be me-tooing every tech trend from Silicon Valley.
American English
- The candidate is just me-tooing his opponent's popular proposals.
- The brand is accused of me-tooing the market leader's campaign.
adverb
British English
- The company acted me-tooishly, replicating features without understanding them.
American English
- They followed me-tooishly, entering the market only after it was proven.
adjective
British English
- Their me-tooist approach failed to attract new customers.
- It was a me-too product launched far too late.
American English
- The company's me-too strategy lacked any unique selling point.
- We need innovative ideas, not me-too policies.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Critique of companies launching near-identical products after a market leader's success.
Academic
In political science or sociology, analysing policy adoption without ideological conviction.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation; used when discussing unoriginal trends.
Technical
Not a technical term; used descriptively in marketing or political analysis.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “me-tooism”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “me-tooism”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “me-tooism”
- Misspelling as 'metooism' without hyphen.
- Confusing with the social justice movement '#MeToo'.
- Using as a positive term (it is critical).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are entirely different. 'Me-tooism' is a critical term for copying behaviour, dating back decades. The #MeToo movement is a social movement against sexual harassment and assault.
Almost never. It is a pejorative term implying a lack of originality and opportunistic imitation.
It is primarily a noun. Derived forms like 'me-too' (adj.), 'me-tooist' (adj./noun), and 'me-tooing' (verb) are occasionally used.
Use it to critically describe a competitor's strategy of replicating successful features or products without genuine innovation, e.g., 'The market is saturated with me-tooism.'
The practice of copying or adopting ideas, products, or stances primarily because they are popular or successful elsewhere.
Me-tooism is usually formal, journalistic, critical in register.
Me-tooism: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmiː ˈtuː.ɪ.zəm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmi ˈtu.ɪ.zəm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “jump on the bandwagon (related concept)”
- “follow the herd”
- “copycat”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Me too!' is what a copycat says – adding '-ism' makes it the practice of being a copycat.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL/COMMERCIAL BEHAVIOUR IS A PARADE (jumping on the bandwagon).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'me-tooism' MOST likely to be used critically?