Anomie is a noun that refers to a breakdown in standards and values.

Our word of the day comes from the Greek word anomos (ANN oh mose) which means ‘lawless.’ It entered the English language in the 1930s to refer to a lack of the usual social or ethical standards. Here’s an example of its use:

Movies about zombie apocalypses have always fascinated me. I’m intrigued by what kind of anomie sets in when a person has been without basic necessities for several days.