consumerism

[ kuhn-soo-muh-riz-uhm ]

noun

1. a modern movement for the protection of the consumer against useless, inferior, or dangerous products, misleading advertising, unfair pricing, etc.
2. the concept that an ever-expanding consumption of goods is advantageous to the economy.
3. the fact or practice of an increasing consumption of goods:

   a critic of American consumerism.

consumerism

/ kənˈsjuːməˌrɪzəm /

noun

1. protection of the interests of consumers
2. advocacy of a high rate of consumption and spending as a basis for a sound economy

consumerism

1. A movement in the United States that seeks to protect consumers against shoddy or improperly labeled products. ( See Ralph Nader .)

Derived Forms

• conˈsumerist, nounadjective

Other Words From

• anti·con·sumer·ism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of consumerism¹

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; consumer + -ism

Example Sentences

Rarely, though, has a plant-based protein brand knowingly leaned into the ambiguity around consumerism as a meaningful lever for climate action, as Plonts is doing.

From Salon

"At the same time, you see a lot of mission-driven companies putting the pressure on consumerism as the answer to climate change, which has all sorts of paradoxes within it. We wanted to poke fun at that tension."

From Salon

Rather than relying too heavily on any of these messages, Plonts' new ad makes a show of playfully shrugging off its climate advantages — and calling into question whether consumerism can really get us out of the climate crisis.

From Salon

In 2021, California’s emissions rose by about 3.4% due to a surge in consumerism and the reawakening of the economy following the development of a vaccine.

From Los Angeles Times

Posting as the Garbage Queen, Wood made a video about the zero-waste movement, saying it sometimes produced counterproductive results that promoted consumerism and increased waste.

From Los Angeles Times