domino theory


Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

domino theory

1. The political theory that, if one country or area adopts communism, then the surrounding ones will as well. The domino theory was a major concern as the Soviet Union expanded its power after World War II.
2. By extension, the idea that an event in one country will result in similar events in the surrounding countries. The string of revolutions that occurred in neighboring countries during the Arab Spring was a great example of domino theory in action.
See also: domino, theory
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

a domino effect

COMMON A domino effect is a situation where one event causes a series of similar events. The accident created a domino effect, causing about 10 other bikes to crash and injuring 14 other people. Unused houses deteriorate rapidly, affecting the value of nearby homes; in a domino effect, the entire neighborhood can easily fall victim. Note: This expression was first used in the 1950s by an American political commentator to describe what some people thought would happen if one country in a region became Communist: they believed that the other countries in that area would also `fall' to the Communists. The image is of a row of upright dominoes (= small, rectangular games pieces with different numbers of dots on them); if one falls, it knocks the next one over and so on, until all of them have fallen over.
See also: domino, effect
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
See also:
References in periodicals archive ?
In hindsight, the connection between the various countries of Southeast Asia is less predictable than the domino theory asserted.
Visual scheming: assessing visual arguments
During the Cold War a "Domino Theory" concerning the fall of countries into the camp of communism was frequently used to justify political or even military intervention.
The Garden of Eden story--source of often mis-read wisdom: a Jewish-Christian dialogue
One of the arguments for the Vietnam War was the so-called domino theory. If South Vietnam was to fall to the Communists, other countries in South-East Asia would tumble before Communist insurgency.
History, used and abused
Central to the war in Vietnam was the logic of the "domino theory", namely that if Vietnam fell to communism other Asian states would follow, thus endangering US national security.
Return of the domino theory; VIEWPOINTS
McNamara admitted that the US administrations of Kennedy and Johnson failed to address "the fundamental issues", while hiding behind the discredited "domino theory" that if Vietnam went communist, the whole of SouthEast Asia would follow.
AFGHANISTAN.. OUR VIETNAM?
Rumors of devaluation in Latvia have lead to a domino theory being discussed by the media.
Estonian euro adoption on track
Summary: Easing Dubai Anxieties Requires Greater Transparency; Domino Theory; How Can Architects Survive the Recession?; Three Kinds of Meetings; Shoot the Recession; 12 Creative Business Cards
March 6
"Look at Dominos Pizza, their sales are up 18.4 per cent on last years numbers." Expanding on the Domino Theory, Lock reads out some market-update insight on the Pizza brand: "we are benefiting from recession-hit consumers staying in to save money and switching to take-aways instead of dining out or going to the pub," he says.
Staying-at-home, the new going out during the crunch
These were times when if you spoke of a downward thrust of Communism or the domino theory you were laughed out of court.
Suharto's legacy
America was motivated by the domino theory, which held that the fall of Vietnam would lead to one communist victory after another throughout the world.
America Won the Vietnam War! How the Left Snatched Defeat from the Jaws of Victory
Moyar announces that "the domino theory was valid," that Vietnam was "a wise war fought under foolish constraints," and that the United States could have won the war early on had it stuck with Diem and invaded Laos and North Vietnam--bold moves that would have provoked "a Chinese abstention from the fighting." He further announces that the stakes were enormous.
Triumph Forsaken: The Vietnam War, 1954-1965
He's not afraid to attack sacred cows and does his best to dispel myths such as the Domino Theory and the sins of Diem.
Triumph Forsaken: The Vietnam War, 1954-1965
With the vast, vast majority of Americans, the quoted Lutherans were anti-Communist, and most of them were taught by the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon presidential administrations to see the Vietnam War in the context of the "domino theory," a theory that saw Vietnam as one of the dominoes which, if left to fall, would lead to more drastic falls.
Lutherans and the Longest War: Adrift on a Sea of Doubt about the Cold and Vietnam Wars, 1964-1975
Japanese politicians should speak out against the nuclear domino theory, not go along with it.
Japanese editorial excerpts -3-
But, as the domino theory would have it, and in the spirit of a nuclear chain reaction, there are also three other kinds of people--those who pronounce Hawaii [special font needed], those who pronounce it [special font needed], and those--"he shuddered here--"who pronounce it [special font needed]." He shot me a sniper's squint.
The Caribbean dichotomy
Idioms browser ?
Full browser ?