nationalismnoun•their extreme nationalism was frightening:patriotism, patriotic sentiment, flag-waving, xenophobia, chauvinism, jingoism.USAGE See chauvinism.Usage notes show additional guidance on finer points of English usage.WORD NOTE See jingoismConversational, opinionated, and idiomatic, these Word Notes are an opportunity to see a working writer's perspective on a particular word or usage.