CultureAugust 1, 2026

triumphalism

try-UM-fuh-liz-um

Definition

An attitude or ideology characterized by excessive pride or arrogance regarding one's own success, superiority, or the dominance of one's beliefs.

Etymology

The word is derived from the Latin 'triumphus' (a celebratory procession for a victorious general) combined with the suffix '-ism' to denote a system of belief or attitude. It evolved into English to describe the overbearing confidence that often follows such success.

In the news

The article contrasts the author's moral humility with the absence of triumphalism, noting that her Nobel Lecture avoids celebratory arrogance and instead focuses on vulnerability and duty.

Literature in Nobel laureate Han Kang’s world is not an escape from darkness, but the stubborn preservation of human tenderness within it

Read the full article ↗

Down To Earth

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