quietism

C2 Topic:Religion & Belief

US /ˈkwaɪəˌtɪzəm/ UK /ˈkwaɪətɪzəm/ See IPA manual

Freq #859803

Meanings

1

noun
a Christian mystical doctrine emphasizing passive contemplation and the surrender of personal will to God

The theologian criticized quietism for treating complete spiritual passivity as the highest ideal.
2

noun
withdrawal from practical, social, or political action into passive acceptance

Opponents accused the movement of quietism when it refused to challenge the unjust law.
3

noun
the philosophical view that philosophy should dissolve intellectual confusion rather than construct substantive theories

His quietism treated many metaphysical disputes as problems of language rather than fact.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a christian mystical... mystical passivitycontemplative withdrawal

2 noun · withdrawal from practical,... passivity inactionnonintervention

3 noun · the philosophical view that... therapeutic philosophy

Opposites

activisminterventionismengagement

Word family

Derived forms quietistquietistic

Related forms contemplation mysticism

Etymology

From quiet + -ism, modeled on French quietisme and Italian quietismo. It first named a seventeenth-century mystical doctrine of spiritual passivity, then broadened to political inaction and a therapeutic conception of philosophy.

Topics

Religion & Belief Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# quietism

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈkwaɪəˌtɪzəm/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkwaɪətɪzəm/
**Frequency rank:** 859803

## Meanings
1. a Christian mystical doctrine emphasizing passive contemplation and the surrender of personal will to God
2. withdrawal from practical, social, or political action into passive acceptance
3. the philosophical view that philosophy should dissolve intellectual confusion rather than construct substantive theories

## Examples
- The theologian criticized quietism for treating complete spiritual passivity as the highest ideal.
- Opponents accused the movement of quietism when it refused to challenge the unjust law.
- His quietism treated many metaphysical disputes as problems of language rather than fact.

## Synonyms
- passivity
- inaction
- contemplative withdrawal
- nonintervention

## Antonyms
- activism
- interventionism
- engagement

## Derived Forms
- quietist
- quietistic

## Related Forms
- contemplation
- mysticism

## Etymology
From quiet + -ism, modeled on French quietisme and Italian quietismo. It first named a seventeenth-century mystical doctrine of spiritual passivity, then broadened to political inaction and a therapeutic conception of philosophy.

## Topics
- Religion & Belief
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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