Agonism
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 Competitive struggle (especially political).
"The internal competition between tendencies or natures that Machiavelli recognizes in individuals and groups and that Nietzsche sees as multiple drives is a form of “agonism.” Agonism is the idea that conflict and struggle are the natural basis of life and that this is replicated in social, political, and cultural life."
- 2 The relationship between an agonist and a receptor.
Example
More examples"The internal competition between tendencies or natures that Machiavelli recognizes in individuals and groups and that Nietzsche sees as multiple drives is a form of “agonism.” Agonism is the idea that conflict and struggle are the natural basis of life and that this is replicated in social, political, and cultural life."
Etymology
From agon + -ism, from Latin agōn, from Ancient Greek ἀγών (agṓn, “contest”).
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.