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

We believe it’s important to clarify that activist investors do not necessarily target research directly.

From MarketWatch • 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

"This should be deleted immediately," wrote Sean Feucht, a Christian activist who is working on a series of faith-based events to mark the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence this year.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

“My grandma’s an old activist, and she always says to me that it’s important for us kids to have a voice. Plus, being involved in school looks good on college applications, right?”

From "The First Rule of Punk" by Celia C. Pérez

Related Words

• combatant
• demonstrator
• fighter
• protester
• rioter