Meanings
- historicalA policy of opposing European colonialism in the Americas while asserting US dominance, empire, and hegemony in the hemisphere.
The US was concerned that European powers might try to recolonise Latin America, and the Monroe Doctrine stated that any such attempt would be regarded as aggression against the United States itself.
2017, Jason Hickel, “Fallout in the Sacrifice Zone”, in The Divide […] , London: William Heinemann, →ISBNSynonyms: Monroeism
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounA policy of opposing European colonialism in the Americas while asserting US dominance, empire, and hegemony in the hemisphere.
Origin
Named after US president James Monroe (1758–1831), who issued the doctrine in 1823.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
Monroe Doctrine. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Monroe%20Doctrine
“Monroe Doctrine.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Monroe%20Doctrine. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Monroe Doctrine,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Monroe%20Doctrine.
Source: Monroe Doctrine on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.