The Suffix -ism: The Suffix -ism, Part 1

The suffix ism is added to words to mean "the process or action of" or "the system, principle, or theory of." These four lists are arranged from easiest to most challenging. Learn them all and enjoy the feeling of optimism!

Here are links to our lists in the collection: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. criticism
    disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings
    Please elaborate here on any additional compliments or criticisms you may have of this teacher. The Secret History
    Criticism can be negative comments about a person or thing, but it can also refer to careful, reasoned assessments about the quality of a work, especially an artistic one like a painting, a novel, or a song.
  2. baptism
    a sacrament signifying spiritual cleansing and rebirth
    My own baptism, and every one I have witnessed so far, took place in something like a large bathtub or small swimming pool in the Baptist Church. The Poisonwood Bible
  3. journalism
    the profession of reporting or editing news stories
    But as I was instructed in my journalism correspondence course through Harper’s Magazine, a good reporter must continue to do her job, even in the most trying of times. Moon Over Manifest
    The jour in journalism is French for "day," so a journal is a daily record of something, whether a newspaper or your diary.
  4. realism
    the attribute of accepting the facts of life
    The demand for these loans is a reality, and it’s important that our state approaches this issue with a proper combination of moral awareness and economic realism. Washington Times (Oct 19, 2020)
  5. optimism
    the hopeful feeling that all is going to turn out well
    He could not have explained his optimism—he was happy and therefore bound to succeed. Atonement
    Optimus means "best" in Latin, so an optimist believes that things will work out for the best. A pessimist believes the opposite.
  6. organism
    a living thing that can act or function independently
    Scientists never expected there to be any living organisms there because it was so hot and so poisonous, but there are whole ecosystems there. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
  7. mechanism
    the technical aspects of doing something
    The system of communications used in science should provide a neat, workable model for studying mechanisms of information-building in human society. The Lives of a Cell
  8. naturalism
    an artistic movement emphasizing realistic description
    His latest film, “Boyhood,” is a large-scale experiment in naturalism—it was filmed over the course of twelve years, so that the actors age along with their characters. The New Yorker (Jun 25, 2014)
    A naturalist is one who studies nature, but naturalism is more often used to describe a painting or a film that looks very realistic.
  9. atheism
    the doctrine or belief that there is no God
    She left atheism years ago to rejoin her father’s Christian faith. The Guardian (Aug 5, 2020)
  10. despotism
    dominance through threat of punishment and violence
    This strategy tends to credit only Russia with Soviet achievements and to trump up even Stalin as a symbol of patriotic statesmanship, glossing over his breathtaking record of violent despotism. Time (Feb 10, 2015)
    Despotis means "master or lord" in Greek, particularly in the sense of a slaveowner. A despot is a ruler who maintains and wields power through violence and cruelty.
Created on Thu Oct 08 12:25:56 EDT 2020 (updated Thu Apr 21 09:54:17 EDT 2022)

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