Hegemony
noun /hɪˈdʒɛməni/ — The dominance of one group through influence as much as force.
Definition
Leadership or dominance, especially of one country or social group over others — achieved through a combination of political, economic, cultural, and ideological influence rather than mere force alone.
Beyond the definition
Hegemony is power that has become invisible because it has been naturalized — when the rules of the dominant group feel like the rules of nature. Gramsci's insight was that hegemony is maintained not through tanks but through culture: what seems normal, what is taught in schools, what counts as common sense.
Origin & history
From Greek hegemonia (leadership), from hegemon (leader), from hegeisthai (to lead). Used in modern political theory primarily through the influence of Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci's concept of cultural hegemony.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
American cultural hegemony spread through film and music as much as through political force.
The hegemony of English in global business is so complete that it rarely requires enforcement.
She studied how hegemony works through consensus — the agreement of the governed to be governed.
Synonyms
dominance, supremacy, cultural power, soft power
Antonyms
subjugation, resistance, counter-hegemony
Related words
Hegemony vs dominance
Dominance refers to any form of overpowering influence, often through physical force. Hegemony typically describes a more subtle, systemic leadership or indirect influence held by one group over others, often through cultural or economic means.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Unbalanced social power
In a room, one standing adult points while another looks down, clearly excluded from the decision-making process happening nearby.
The visual dominance of the standing figure represents hegemony. It illustrates how influence is often achieved not through overt force, but through a structure of standing and posture that establishes an accepted, unspoken hierarchy within a social group.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration