1. a late 20th-century movement in the arts, architecture, and criticism that represents a departure from modernism, typically characterized by the self-conscious use of earlier styles and conventions, a mixing of different artistic styles and media, and a general distrust of theories
Usage: academic; cultural criticism
2. a philosophical movement that questions the reliability of reason and rejects the idea of absolute truth or universal principles
Usage: philosophy; academic

Examples

• The museum’s new wing showcases postmodernism in architecture with its eclectic mix of classical and contemporary elements.
• Many critics argue that postmodernism has had a profound impact on contemporary literature.
• The professor explained how postmodernism challenges traditional notions of objective truth.
• Postmodernism emerged as a reaction against the rigid principles of modernist design.
• The artist’s work exemplifies postmodernism through its playful combination of high and low culture.
• Students studied the influence of postmodernism on 1980s film and television.