minimalism
noun
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In the 1960s, a few composers, including Philip Glass, Steve Reich, and John Adams, began writing music inspired by the music of India and Southeast Asia, often with a quick pulsing beat and chords that are repeated quickly over and over while small changes are slowly introduced. Minimalist art, which began appearing around the same time, tries to strip away all personal elements, often leaving only pure geometric forms; you may have seen the plain silver boxes of Donald Judd, or the straight neon tubes of Bruce Nauman. In literature, the stripped-down fiction of Samuel Beckett and Raymond Carver is often considered minimalist. But there's a real question whether these various types of minimalism should even be considered the same concept.
Examples of minimalism in a Sentence
Christian Allaire, Vogue, 23 July 2025
Landscape a small yard in a way that goes with the tiny house aesthetic of minimalism and sustainability.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 July 2025
The water hauler in question was Hydro Flask’s Micro Hydro: a bottle inspired by Japanese minimalism that clocks in at only 6.7 ounces, while boasting double-wall insulation, a wear and tear–resistant, stainless-steel body, and a seven-hour capacity for keeping beverages either hot or cold.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 1 July 2025
Understatement, restraint, minimalism and quiet luxury are out.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for minimalism
Cite this Entry
“Minimalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minimalism. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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