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mercantilism
noun
mer·can·til·ismˈmər-kən-ˌtē-ˌli-zəm 
-ˌtī-,
-tə-
1
:the theory or practice ofmercantile pursuits:commercialism
2
:an economic system developing during the decay offeudalism to unify and increase the power and especially the monetary wealth of a nation by a strict governmental regulation of the entire national economy usually through policies designed to secure an accumulation of bullion (seebullionsense 1), a favorable balance of trade, the development of agriculture and manufactures, and the establishment of foreign trading monopolies (seemonopolysense 1)
Examples ofmercantilism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebYet those very domestic constraints now limit how far states can shift toward neo-mercantilism.—
Pratap Bhanu Mehta,Time, 15 Jan. 2026As for the fifth dimension, China’s power is having a corrosive effect on democracies, including in the United States, which has clumsily adopted measures that resemble the CCP’s mercenarymercantilism.—Stephen Kotkin,Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025Unfortunately, various forms ofmercantilism emerged in the 20th century.—Steve Forbes,Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025In 1776, Adam Smith’s seminal work, The Wealth of Nations, revolutionized economic thought by challengingmercantilism.—Mirjana Perkovic,Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025See All Example Sentences formercantilism
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage.Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.Send us feedback.
Pratap Bhanu Mehta,Time, 15 Jan. 2026As for the fifth dimension, China’s power is having a corrosive effect on democracies, including in the United States, which has clumsily adopted measures that resemble the CCP’s mercenarymercantilism.—Stephen Kotkin,Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025Unfortunately, various forms ofmercantilism emerged in the 20th century.—Steve Forbes,Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025In 1776, Adam Smith’s seminal work, The Wealth of Nations, revolutionized economic thought by challengingmercantilism.—Mirjana Perkovic,Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025See All Example Sentences formercantilismWord History
First Known Use
1834, in the meaning defined atsense 1
Rhymes formercantilism
Browse Nearby Words
Cite this Entry
“Mercantilism.”Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mercantilism. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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