activist

American  

[ak-tuh-vist] / ˈæk tə vɪst /

noun

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

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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.

Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

• nonactivist adjective

Etymology

Origin of activist

First recorded in 1905–10; active + -ist

Explanation

An activist is a person who campaigns for some kind of social change. When you participate in a march protesting the closing of a neighborhood library, you're an activist. Someone who's actively involved in a protest or a political or social cause can be called an activist. Demonstrations, strikes, and sit-ins are all ways that an activist might work toward the change she believes in. The root word of activist is the Latin actus, "a doing, a driving force, or an impulse." Someone who acts on what she believes is an activist.

Example Sentences

When activist investors take a stake in a pharmaceutical company, markets often cheer.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

An activist investor is a person or investment firm that buys shares in a company it believes is underperforming and then applies pressure for management and business changes.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Last month, activist investor Irenic Capital Management, which has built an approximately 2.5% stake in Snap, urged the company’s leadership to undertake a series of measures aimed at improving its valuation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

But they promptly filed a new misdemeanor case against Morrow and the other activist, alleging the pair impeded ICE officers and failed to follow their orders.

From Salon • Apr. 15, 2026

Ellsberg called his friend Howard Zinn, a Boston University professor and antiwar activist.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• combatant
• demonstrator
• fighter
• protester
• rioter