decolonization
noun
de·col·o·ni·za·tion
(ˌ)dē-ˌkä-lə-nə-ˈzā-shən 
: the act or practice of decolonizing
[Frantz] Fanon also described mental decolonization, the shedding of the colonizer's values and practices …—
Jackie Byars
Jackie Byars[Ngũgĩ wa] Thiong'o is a passionate advocate for African authors writing in their native tongue as a form of preserving culture and achieving linguistic decolonization. "Language, any language, has a dual character: it is both a means of communication and a carrier of culture," he has written.—Jackie Bischof
Jackie BischofThe 20th century may be defined in the West by the World Wars and the Cold War, but for much of the rest of the planet it was the age of decolonization, when old structures of (often racial) domination and power gave way to new states, new nations, and new politics.—Kanishk Tharoor
Kanishk TharoorExamples of decolonization in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Many in India saw it as the final act of decolonization, ending four centuries of European rule in the subcontinent.
—Sam Dalrymple, Time, 14 July 2025
The changes were met with ire from Musk, who has been a longstanding critic of decolonization attempts and similar trends in Europe.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
Advertisement After World War II, a wave of decolonization across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific impeded the Western powers’ access to resources once under colonial control.
—Time, 17 June 2025
Kennedy had entered office hoping to alter Washington’s reputation in the developing world by encouraging reform movements and decolonization as a way to outflank Moscow.
—Timothy Naftali, Foreign Affairs, 2 May 2025
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Sam Dalrymple, Time, 14 July 2025
The changes were met with ire from Musk, who has been a longstanding critic of decolonization attempts and similar trends in Europe.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
Advertisement After World War II, a wave of decolonization across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific impeded the Western powers’ access to resources once under colonial control.
—Time, 17 June 2025
Kennedy had entered office hoping to alter Washington’s reputation in the developing world by encouraging reform movements and decolonization as a way to outflank Moscow.
—Timothy Naftali, Foreign Affairs, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for decolonization
Cite this Entry
“Decolonization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decolonization. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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