minimalism
noun
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In the 1960s, a few composers, including Philip Glass, Steve Reich, and John Adams, began writing music inspired by the music of India and Southeast Asia, often with a quick pulsing beat and chords that are repeated quickly over and over while small changes are slowly introduced. Minimalist art, which began appearing around the same time, tries to strip away all personal elements, often leaving only pure geometric forms; you may have seen the plain silver boxes of Donald Judd, or the straight neon tubes of Bruce Nauman. In literature, the stripped-down fiction of Samuel Beckett and Raymond Carver is often considered minimalist. But there's a real question whether these various types of minimalism should even be considered the same concept.
Examples of minimalism in a Sentence
Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
Their shoes’ aesthetic blends modern minimalism with classic styles that are designed to be subtle enough for everyday wear but with a twist thanks to the footwear’s unexpected details.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
While millennials chased minimalism—think capsule wardrobes and beige apartments—Gen Z is turning up the color saturation.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
The Reflect Water Bottle is minimalism meets sustainability.
—Clay Abney, Travel + Leisure, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for minimalism
Cite this Entry
“Minimalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minimalism. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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