paradigm shift

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   A radical change in thinking from an accepted point of view to a new one, necessitated…

   A radical change in thinking from an accepted point of view to a new one, necessitated when new scientific discoveries produce anomalies in the current paradigm.

   • Near-synonyms: reconceptualization, rethinking; reframing, remodeling
   • Recently, there has been a radical paradigm shift taking hold in forums that attend to the education of DHH students.
2. 2

   Any radical change, especially in politics or technology.

   • Near-synonyms: sea change, step change, quantum leap
   • So the fact that people are calling me, a woman of a certain age and demographic, to sit down on studio films — which have not been my bread and butter — there’s definitely a paradigm shift.
   • The Russian invasion of Ukraine is causing a paradigm shift on the scale of 9/11 in how democracy will confront future threats, the foreign secretary, Liz Truss, will predict in Washington on Thursday.

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