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View synonyms for activist

activist

[ ak-tuh-vist ]

noun

  1. an especially active, vigorous advocate of a cause, especially a political cause.


adjective

  1. of or relating to activism or activists:

    an activist organization for environmental concern.

  2. advocating or opposing a cause or issue vigorously, especially a political cause:

    Activist opponents of the president picketed the White House.

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Other Words From

  • non·activ·ist adjective noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of activist1

First recorded in 1905–10; active + -ist
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Example Sentences

Walker was elected governor of Wisconsin in 2010 and 2014 and became a favorite of GOP activists as he battled public sector unions.

In a proposal that meets activists in the middle, Fischer announced that the department will retain social workers to support and assist officers on dispatch runs.

From Vox

You can, of course, also volunteer with an activist group — whether it’s Extinction Rebellion, the Sunrise Movement, or Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Future — and put your body in the street to nonviolently disrupt business as usual and demand change.

From Vox

An LGBTQ activist and journalist in Cuba says authorities on Wednesday threatened to arrest him.

“Today, Facebook caved to a pressure campaign by far-left activists, effectively censoring our effort to inform voters about Democrat threats to women’s athletics,” Schilling said.

Jacob Cordova, 27, is the latest activist to be jailed for their activities.

A new book from gay rights activist Marc Solomon sets the record straight about how gay marriage victories were really won.

The reason: activist government and unionized government often work at cross purposes.

Vlad Burlutskiy is a civic and political activist from Russia who fled the country last year due to increasing threats.

Larry Kramer, the renowned activist and playwright, was invited to talk after a last minute cancelation.

We are not speaking of a reactionary revolution but of the "activist."

This school of medicine advocated a return to clinical observation and a reduction of activist intervention.

Well, it made me realize that he would like to be active in some kind of—activist.

They are concerned about unethical conduct by public officials, and discouraged by activist courts that try to redefine marriage.

It is the fear lest abroad it may be imagined that there really is an "activist" movement in Belgium.

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More About Activist

What does activist mean?

An activist is a person who engages in activism—the practice of taking direct action to achieve political or social goals.

An activist may support a particular cause (or range of causes) or oppose it.

In any case, an activist tries to achieve such goals through direct (and continued) actions, such as protests, lawsuits, lobbying, petitions, and strikes.

The word activist implies that the person takes such actions consistently—that they are consistently active in these pursuits. For example, protesting is a form of activism, but someone who attends one protest probably wouldn’t be called an activist (unless they continue to take such actions).

The word activist is often preceded by a word referring to the kind of cause the activist is involved in, as in political activist or animal rights activist. 

It can also be used as an adjective to describe such people or their activities, as in activist lawyer or activist organization. 

Example: The prominent activist is known for organizing this summer’s mass protests.

Where does activist come from?

The first records of the word activist come from around the early 1900s. It’s a combination of active and the suffix ist, which indicates a person who practices something or holds certain principles. The related suffix -ism is used in words that refer to such practices or doctrines, such as activism.

Activism implies active participation in a cause—participation that is consistent and lasts. The word is sometimes used in terms that imply that someone has a specific agenda. This is the case in terms like activist judge, which implies that such a judge will not be objective or impartial and will instead make rulings based on a specific agenda.

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What are some other forms related to activist?

What are some synonyms for activist?

What are some words that share a root or word element with activist

What are some words that often get used in discussing activist?

How is activist used in real life?

People who are called activists typically work for or against change in political and social areas.

 

 

Try using activist!

Which of the following actions are used by activists?

A. protests
B. lawsuits
C. lobbying
D. all of the above

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activismactivities