materialism
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the belief that money, clothes, and cars are more important than spiritual or mental values.
a preoccupation with or emphasis on material objects and physical comfort over spiritual, intellectual, or cultural values.
Simple“Many people criticize modern materialism and the constant pressure to buy new things.”
In context“The rise of consumer materialism in the post-war era led to a significant shift in how families defined success and social status.”
UsageUncountable when referring to the general social trend; occasionally countable when referring to specific instances.
Teacher's tipThis is the most common sense in everyday conversation and media.
SynonymsconsumerismworldlinessAntonymsspiritualityasceticism - 02 C1 Advanced
the theory that only physical matter exists and there is no soul or spirit.
the philosophical theory that nothing exists except matter and its movements and modifications.
Simple“In his philosophy class, they debated whether materialism can explain human consciousness.”
In context“Scientific materialism posits that all phenomena, including mental states and consciousness, are the results of material interactions.”
UsageUsually uncountable in this formal context.
Teacher's tipIn academic settings, this is often contrasted with 'idealism'.
Borrowed from French matérialisme. By surface analysis, material + -ism.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.