What does antiscience mean?
Antiscience denotes hostility to, or systematic rejection of, science itself — including the scientific method, the institution of science, and its established findings. The term is most often applied to attitudes that dismiss well-supported conclusions in areas such as vaccination, climate change, evolution, or medicine, whether out of distrust of experts, ideological commitment, or conspiracy thinking. It is important to distinguish antiscience from mere ignorance or from healthy scientific skepticism: scientists are expected to question evidence, whereas antiscience rejects the enterprise of inquiry altogether. The word entered common usage in the latter half of the twentieth century, as debates over nuclear power, environmental science, and creationism intensified. Because it is nearly always used critically — few people describe themselves as antiscience — the term carries a pejorative charge and often appears in political and media discourse about public trust in expertise.
nounAntiscience is hostility to or rejection of the scientific method, scientific consensus, and the authority of science, often expressed as skepticism toward established findings in fields such as vaccination, climate science, and evolution.
- Hostility toward or systematic rejection of science, the scientific method, or scientific consensus.
- (Less commonly) A specific stance or movement characterized by such rejection, as in debates over vaccines, climate change, or evolution.
"The spread of antiscience on social media has made public health campaigns far more difficult."
"Critics accused the senator of pandering to antiscience voters by dismissing climate research."
"Historians trace modern antiscience to movements that rejected Darwin's theory in the nineteenth century."
Rarely used; the word normally functions as an uncountable noun referring to an attitude or stance rather than countable instances.
"Different cultures have seen different forms of antiscience arise at different times."
The word 'antiscience' only entered widespread use in the late 20th century — a name for one of humanity's oldest habits: distrusting what we've just learned to know.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of antiscience
The word 'antiscience' combines the Greek-derived prefix 'anti-' (against) with 'science', which traces back through Old French to the Latin 'scientia', meaning knowledge. While the underlying components are ancient, 'antiscience' itself emerged as a distinct term in English only in the twentieth century, gaining currency from the mid-century onward as public conflicts over science — from evolution to vaccination — became politically prominent. It shares its Latin root 'scientia' with words such as 'omniscient', 'prescient', and 'nescient'.
Related word forms
How antiscience is actually used
Antiscience carries a strongly negative connotation and is typically used pejoratively by those defending science; people described as antiscience rarely apply the label to themselves. It functions almost exclusively as a noun, though the related adjective 'antiscientific' describes policies or arguments opposed to science.
Easily confused with antiscience
Pseudoscience refers to claims that imitate the form of science without its rigor, whereas antiscience is an attitude of rejecting or opposing science itself.