classicism

[klas-uh-siz-uhm] / ˈklæs əˌsɪz əm /

NOUN

simple style; regularity, restraint

Synonyms

STRONGEST

grandeur

STRONG

Hellenism balance clarity class classicalism dignity elegance excellence finish formality lucidity majesty neoclassicism nobility objectivity polish proportion propriety purity rationalism refinement rhythm severity simplicity sobriety sublimity symmetry

WEAK

Atticism Ciceronianism aesthetic principle conventional formality formal style grand style high art pure taste

Antonyms

STRONG

bad manners crudeness disproportion imbalance unevenness

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In the office of Burnham & Root, Roth studied architectural books and drawings of antiquities, learning the grammar of a classicism he later used with such vigor in New York.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

But even a mega-firm that typically builds in a futuristic style can form a partnership with a design architect who’s an expert in classicism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026

"It was not elaborate like Victorian Gothic design that preceded it, and came with a classicism and simplicity that has survived the test of time," he said.

From BBC • Nov. 22, 2025

So, there is a classicism aspect to it.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2024

More nuanced and more revealing is Wills’s other remark—that “Everett’s classicism was as much the forerunner of Lincoln’s talk as its foil or contrast.”

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith