conventionalism

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noun

Adherence to social conventions; conventional behavior.

Similar
conventionalityconvention
Scrabble 22
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Meanings

nounconventionalism (usually uncountable, plural conventionalisms)

plural conventionalisms

  1. uncountableusuallyAdherence to social conventions; conventional behavior.
  2. countableobsoleteusuallyA conventional act or constraint.

    Having said this, you will not, I trust, suspect me of disliking you for throwing off conventionalisms and speaking to me as a man to a man.

    1864 March 15, Frederick Denison Maurice, “To ____”, in The Life Of Frederick Denison Maurice, volume 2, →ISBN, page 478
  3. uncountableusuallyhuman sciencesThe doctrine that logical or mathematical principles are simply the expression of conventions.

    Skepticism arrives at conventionalism by way of the claims that the conditions on evidential support cannot be satisfied […] but that we must have beliefs in order to carry on.

    2026 October 2, (Please provide the book title or journal name), volume 140, number 3, →DOI

Synonyms & antonyms

nounorthodoxy as a consequence of being conventional

Similar
conventionalityconvention
Broader
orthodoxy
Also see
conventionconventionality

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From conventional + -ism.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan convencionalisme
  • convencionalismeAdherence to social conventions
Finnish sovinnaisuus, konventionalismi
  • sovinnaisuusAdherence to social conventions
  • konventionalismiAdherence to social conventions
  • konventionalismi(philosophy)
French conventionnalisme
  • conventionnalismeAdherence to social conventions
German Konventionalismus
  • Konventionalismus(philosophy)
Greek συμβασιοκρατία
  • συμβασιοκρατία (symvasiokratía)(philosophy)
Italian convenzionalismo
  • convenzionalismoAdherence to social conventions
Polish konwencjonalizm, konwencjonalizm
  • konwencjonalizmAdherence to social conventions
  • konwencjonalizm(philosophy)
Portuguese convencionalismo
  • convencionalismoAdherence to social conventions
Romanian convenționalism, convenționalism
  • convenționalismAdherence to social conventions
  • convenționalism(philosophy)
Spanish convencionalismo
  • convencionalismoAdherence to social conventions
Cite this entry
APA

conventionalism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/conventionalism

MLA

“conventionalism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/conventionalism. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “conventionalism,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/conventionalism.

Source: conventionalism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.