communism
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a political system where the state or community owns all property and businesses, aiming for a society without different social classes.
a far-left political ideology advocating for the collective ownership of resources and the eventual abolition of social classes, money, and the state.
Simple“In school, we studied the history of communism and how it changed the world in the 20th century.”
In context“The manifesto outlined a vision of communism where the proletariat would seize the means of production to end class exploitation.”
UsageOften capitalised as 'Communism' when referring to specific historical movements or regimes.
SynonymscollectivismmarxismAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a country or government that is run according to communist ideas.
a state or social system governed by a party that follows communist principles, typically involving a command economy.
Simple“Life under communism was very different for people living in Eastern Europe during the Cold War.”
In context“The transition from communism to a market economy proved to be a volatile period for many former Soviet republics.”
Synonymssocialist state - 03 C1 Advanced
a way to describe rules or control that feel too strict, unfair, or bossy.
a figurative use describing a state of affairs perceived as oppressive, arbitrary, or excessively totalitarian.
Simple“My boss won't even let us take a five-minute break; it's like communism in this office.”
In context“Critics of the new city regulations dismissed the strict zoning laws as a form of local communism that infringed on private property rights.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is often used as a hyperbolic insult in political arguments, particularly in the United States.
SynonymsAntonyms
“Wałęsa famously wore a Virgin Mary pin badge while campaigning and credited his Catholic faith as playing a major role in his fight against communism.”
Etymology tree Old Latin comoinis Latin commūnis Old French comun French commun 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. Latin -ismusbor. French -isme French communismebor. English communism A borrowing from French communisme, which was formed from commun (“common”) (from Latin commūnis) and the suffix -isme (“-ism”). By surface analysis, commune + -ism.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.