Words / C2

hi-JEM-uh-nee/hɪˈdʒeməni/

Hegemony is leadership or dominance of one group over others, especially in politics or culture: cultural hegemony, hegemony in a market. Dominance is the everyday cousin; supremacy is stronger and more absolute; leadership can be legitimate. Hegemonic is the adjective. In speech, dominance or they set the terms is enough. Academic and political — using it for a popular café chain can sound overblown unless you mean structural power.

Meaning

Leadership or dominance of one group over others, especially in politics or culture.

Examples

• “The company has hegemony in the phone market.”
• “The platform’s hegemony over discovery made “independent” charts look ornamental.”
• “Gramscian essays treat hegemony as consent as well as force, not as a synonym for army.”

Good to know

Dominance of one group (politics/culture). Adjective: hegemonic. Everyday: dominance. Close: supremacy (stronger). Academic/political.

Near in meaning

dominance

New