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Synonyms

iconoclasm

American  
[ahy-kon-uh-klaz-uhm] / aɪˈkɒn əˌklæz əm /

noun

  1. the action or spirit of iconoclasts.

iconoclasm British  
/ aɪˈkɒnəˌklæzəm /

noun

  1. the acts or beliefs of an iconoclast

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of iconoclasm

1790–1800; iconocl(ast) + -asm on model of such pairs as enthusiast: enthusiasm

Vocabulary lists containing iconoclasm

Art History

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In more recent decades, a spirit of iconoclasm eclipsed the spirit of commemoration.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

Although visually very different, the show’s best work shares a free-wheeling iconoclasm with major Ferus artists like Ed Ruscha and Robert Irwin.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2023

The Israeli government expressed alarm over the defacement, which officials also attributed to Jewish iconoclasm in obedience to early prohibitions against idolatry.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 6, 2023

I really enjoy the playfulness and the iconoclasm.

From New York Times • Jul. 12, 2022

Celia’s destination was Havana, with her Great-Aunt Alicia, known for her cooking and her iconoclasm.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.