activism

[ak-tuh-viz-uhm]

noun

1. the doctrine or practice of vigorous action or involvement as a means of achieving political or other goals, sometimes by demonstrations, protests, etc.

2. Philosophy.

   1. a theory that the essence of reality is pure activity, especially spiritual activity, or process.

   2. a theory that the relationship between the mind and the objects of perception depends upon the action of the mind.

activism

/ ˈæktɪˌvɪzəm /

noun

1. a policy of taking direct and often militant action to achieve an end, esp a political or social one

Other Word Forms

• activist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of activism¹

From the German word Aktivismus, dating back to 1905–10. See active, -ism

Example Sentences

The endorsements come as the Sunrise Movement, an environmental activism organization, is expanding its mission to include fighting growing authoritarianism in the United States.

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But the journalists brought in to help build trust and strengthen credibility on anti-trans legislation, grassroots activism and more, are being pushed back toward the margins.

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Zac Segal, president of the university’s College Republicans, posted on X that he had been contacting ICE “for months on end” and framed the recent detentions as a response to his activism.

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Like many college kids, Allaire became interested in the work of Noam Chomsky, an American scholar known for his work in linguistics, political activism and social criticism.

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Lennon’s music and political activism would have been the focus of most other filmmakers who’d gotten their hands on the “One to One” concert footage.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• advocacy 
• involvement 
• militancy 

When To Use

What does activism mean?

Activism is the practice of taking direct action to achieve political or social goals.Activism can involve supporting a particular cause (or range of causes) or opposing it. Activism uses direct (and continued) actions, such as protests, lawsuits, lobbying, petitions, and strikes.A person who engages in activism can be called an activist. The word activist implies that such actions are taken consistently—that the activist is consistently active in their activism. 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).Like activist, the word activism is often preceded by a word referring to the kind of cause involved, as in political activism or environmental activism. Example: The only way to achieve change is to engage in continued activism—we can’t sit on the sidelines if we want to see results.