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activist

[ ak-tuh-vist ]
/ ˈæk tə vɪst /
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noun
an especially active, vigorous advocate of a cause, especially a political cause.
adjective
of or relating to activism or activists: an activist organization for environmental concern.
advocating or opposing a cause or issue vigorously, especially a political cause: Activist opponents of the president picketed the White House.

VIDEO FOR ACTIVIST

A Video About Activism

Activism can be inspirational, motivational, and progressive. What does activism mean to you?

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Origin of activist

First recorded in 1905–10; active + -ist

OTHER WORDS FROM activist

non·ac·tiv·ist, adjective, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH activist

activist , pacifist, passivist
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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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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

How to use activist in a sentence

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