romanticism
noun
ro·man·ti·cism
rō-ˈman-tə-ˌsi-zəm 
rə-
1
often capitalized
a(1)
: a literary, artistic, and philosophical movement originating in the 18th century, characterized chiefly by a reaction against neoclassicism and an emphasis on the imagination and emotions, and marked especially in English literature by sensibility and the use of autobiographical material, an exaltation of the primitive and the common man, an appreciation of external nature, an interest in the remote, a predilection for melancholy, and the use in poetry of older verse forms
(2)
: an aspect of romanticism
b
: adherence to a romantic attitude or style
2
: the quality or state of being romantic
Examples of romanticism in a Sentence
Try not to discourage the romanticism of college students.
Recent Examples on the Web
And young French people, thankfully, are not buying my romanticism—the trend line curves downward more dramatically for them.
—
Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 11 June 2025
There’s an inherent romanticism to Milos, where in 1920, archaeologists discovered the Venus de Milo.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2025
The traditional norteño sax group, which includes a saxophone, accordion and baja sexto in its ensemble, closed out the showcase with deep romanticism and irresistible energy.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2025
Her work has a dark romanticism with a rebellious, otherworldly energy.
—Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for romanticism
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Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 11 June 2025
There’s an inherent romanticism to Milos, where in 1920, archaeologists discovered the Venus de Milo.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2025
The traditional norteño sax group, which includes a saxophone, accordion and baja sexto in its ensemble, closed out the showcase with deep romanticism and irresistible energy.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2025
Her work has a dark romanticism with a rebellious, otherworldly energy.
—Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for romanticism
Cite this Entry
“Romanticism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/romanticism. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
romanticism
noun
ro·man·ti·cism
rō-ˈmant-ə-ˌsiz-əm
1
often capitalized
: a literary and artistic movement marked chiefly by an emphasis on the imagination and emotions
2
: the quality or state of being romantic
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