anomie
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈænəˌmi/
- Specialized
:
anomia
- Many young people today experience anomie as they struggle to find their place in a fast-changing society.
- anomie and alienation
- state of anomie
- profound sense of anomie
Examples
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The increasing number of homeless individuals can be attributed to a sense of anomie that arises from societal neglect.
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A sense in many pockets of the country that we are living in a time of anomie, inequity, and worry.
Blog text (18) -
One will not find among us the groundless anomie and lack of direction associated with more secular institutions.
Academic text (2006) -
For others, they are emancipatory spaces where players can free themselves from the crushing anomie of modern life.
Academic text (2010) -
Rich, talented, movie-star handsome, David suffers from a full-blown case of anomie.
Academic text (1997) -
The concept of anomie has been historically associated with sociologists such as Durkheim (1897/1951) and Merton (1957).
Academic text (2003) -
Social disengagement on the part of both "winners" and excluded or marginalized "losers" encourages anomie and the breakdown of civic norms of acceptable behavior, self-responsibility, and mutual respect.
Academic text (2003) -
Amid the chaos of modern life, some individuals feel overwhelming anomie stemming from the loss of shared values.
Synonyms
30
7.4
Feeling of being alone and separate from other people
A situation where social and moral rules are weak or missing, causing chaos and isolation
Antonyms
How Isolated
Surface Forms
Morphology
anomie = an + nom + ie
Although analyzable as the negative prefix 'an-' + the combining form 'nom-' (law), 'nom' is not a standalone English word and the term is a specialized sociological concept, so a typical B1 learner would not reliably derive the meaning from its parts.
Etymology
Anomie comes from the Greek parts a- meaning 'without' and nomos meaning 'law' or 'custom', the same root you see in words like autonomy and economy. So, anomie is the feeling of being without social rules or ties, which is why it describes the isolation and anxiety people feel when social norms break down.