What does anomie mean?
Anomie is a noun describing a condition of normlessness — a state in which the shared rules, values, and expectations that normally hold a society together have broken down or lost their force. Coined from Greek roots and given its modern meaning by the French sociologist Émile Durkheim, the term originally referred to this breakdown at the level of whole societies, as during economic crises or rapid social change. It is now also applied to individuals who feel alienated, adrift, and without clear purpose when the norms around them weaken. Anomie is a formal, scholarly word, common in sociology, psychology, and serious journalism about social decay. Its connotations are strongly negative, evoking disorder, rootlessness, and moral confusion. Understanding anomie is valuable because it names a phenomenon — the collapse of shared standards — that ordinary vocabulary handles only vaguely, making it an indispensable term for discussing both collective instability and personal disorientation.
nounA state of normlessness in a society or individual, arising when social norms are unclear, weakened, or no longer regarded as binding. It is characterized by a breakdown of moral standards, purpose, and social cohesion.
- A condition of societal instability caused by the erosion or absence of shared norms and values.
- A personal sense of alienation, disorientation, and lack of purpose resulting from such a breakdown of norms.
"The rapid collapse of the old regime left many citizens in a state of anomie, unsure which rules still applied."
"Durkheim argued that sudden economic upheaval could produce anomie, leaving individuals without clear standards of conduct."
"After decades of upheaval, the novelist portrayed her protagonist drifting through the city in quiet anomie, detached from any sense of belonging."
Rarely pluralized in practice; anomie is almost always treated as a singular mass concept rather than a countable noun.
"Historians have documented distinct anomies arising in different eras of upheaval."
The word 'anomie' was popularized by French sociologist Émile Durkheim to explain why suicide rates rise when society's rules fall apart.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of anomie
Anomie derives from the Greek word 'anomia', meaning 'without law' or 'lawlessness', formed from 'a-' (without) and 'nomos' (law or custom). The Greek root 'nomos' also gives English words such as autonomy, astronomy, and economy. The term entered English in the early modern period, but its modern sociological sense was established by Émile Durkheim in his 1893 work 'The Division of Labour in Society' and developed further in his study of suicide.
Related word forms
How anomie is actually used
Anomie is a formal, academic term used chiefly in sociology, psychology, and cultural criticism; it rarely appears in casual conversation. It carries a negative connotation of disintegration and disorientation. The variant spelling 'anomy' also exists but is less common.
Easily confused with anomie
Enormity means great wickedness or monstrousness (or, in looser usage, enormous size), whereas anomie refers to a breakdown of social or personal norms.
Anemia is a medical condition involving a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin, while anomie is a sociological term describing normlessness.