religionism: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
RareFormal, academic, critical
Quick answer
What does “religionism” mean?
Excessive religious zeal, bigotry, or narrow-mindedness in religious matters.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Excessive religious zeal, bigotry, or narrow-mindedness in religious matters.
The practice of placing excessive emphasis on formal religious observance or doctrine; can also refer to prejudice or discrimination based on religion.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally rare in both varieties; no significant dialectal differences in usage.
Connotations
Consistently negative in both varieties, implying intolerance or fanaticism.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both corpora; primarily found in academic or polemical writing.
Grammar
How to Use “religionism” in a Sentence
accusations of religionisma form of religionismto denounce religionismVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “religionism” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- No verb form in common use
American English
- No verb form in common use
adverb
British English
- No common adverb form
American English
- No common adverb form
adjective
British English
- The religionist attitudes of the group caused social tension.
- His religionist views left little room for debate.
American English
- Her religionist approach alienated more moderate members.
- The movement was criticized for its religionist ideology.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used in business contexts.
Academic
Occasionally appears in sociology, religious studies, or history papers discussing religious conflict or extremism.
Everyday
Extremely rare; would likely be misunderstood in casual conversation.
Technical
Used in specialized religious or sociological analysis as a descriptive term for excessive religious adherence.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “religionism”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “religionism”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “religionism”
- Confusing it with 'religiosity' (which is more neutral).
- Using it to mean simply 'belief in religion'.
- Assuming it is a synonym for 'faith' or 'spirituality'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is quite rare and mostly used in academic or critical writing.
No. 'Religionism' implies excessive or intolerant religious behavior, while 'being religious' is neutral.
Almost never. It carries a consistently negative connotation of intolerance or narrow-mindedness.
They are often discussed as opposites. Secularism advocates separation of religion from public life, while religionism emphasizes religious dominance.
Excessive religious zeal, bigotry, or narrow-mindedness in religious matters.
Religionism is usually formal, academic, critical in register.
Religionism: in British English it is pronounced /rɪˈlɪdʒəˌnɪz(ə)m/, and in American English it is pronounced /rɪˈlɪdʒəˌnɪzəm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'RELIGION' + 'ISM' — but not a neutral 'system' like Buddhism; rather, an 'excessive focus on religion' to the point of intolerance.
Conceptual Metaphor
RELIGION AS A WALL (blocking understanding/coexistence), RELIGIOUS DEVOTION AS BLINDNESS (to other perspectives).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most accurate synonym for 'religionism' in a negative sense?