hegemony
5 synonyms and 3 antonyms for hegemony, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Dominance by one country, group or class over others, especially political and economic leadership that others cannot easily challenge.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use hegemony
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
cultural hegemony
global hegemony
regional hegemony
challenge the hegemony
Formal; common in politics, history and cultural theory.
Etymology
From Greek hēgemonia, 'leadership' or 'authority', from hēgemōn, a leader.
Full origin of hegemony →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between hegemony and imperialism?
Imperialism means directly ruling or occupying other territories. Hegemony is looser: the dominant power shapes what others do through influence, money, alliances and prestige, without needing to govern them. A hegemon leads; an empire rules.
What does cultural hegemony mean?
It describes a situation in which the beliefs and tastes of a dominant group come to feel natural and universal to everyone, including those the arrangement disadvantages. Because the ideas are accepted willingly, the power behind them is largely invisible.
How is hegemony pronounced?
The most widespread pronunciation is hih-JEM-uh-nee, with a soft g. HEJ-uh-moh-nee and hih-GEM-uh-nee with a hard g are also recorded and not considered wrong.
