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Synonyms

leftist

American  
[lef-tist] / ˈlɛf tɪst /
Or Leftist

noun

  1. a member of the political Left or a person sympathetic to its views.

adjective

  1. of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or advocated by the political Left.

leftist British  
/ ˈlɛftɪst /

adjective

  1. of, tending towards, or relating to the political left or its principles

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a person who supports or belongs to the political left

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
leftist Cultural  

  1. One who holds a left-wing viewpoint; someone who seeks radical social and economic change in the direction of greater equality.

Other Word Forms

  • antileftist adjective
  • leftism noun

Etymology

Origin of leftist

First recorded in 1920–25; left 1 + -ist

Compare meaning

How does leftist compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Explanation

In politics, a leftist is someone who tends to support progressive or socialist ideas. Leftists generally favor bigger government and policies that result in economic and social equality. This political term, in use since the late 19th century, is from left, a word that came to mean "the democratic or liberal party." This meaning goes back to the seating arrangement of legislators in the Estates General during the French Revolution: those seated on the left supported the revolution, and came to be called la gauche, or "the left." Leftists is just another way to describe anyone with progressive or liberal political beliefs.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Beyond the top three, leftist Rae Huang notched support from 8% of those polled, while tech entrepreneur Adam Miller drew 6%.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026

Tech entrepreneur Adam Miller was supported by just over 4% of those polled, with leftist candidate Rae Huang at about 3%.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

In France, a loose union of leftist parties won a surprise first-place finish in France’s snap legislative elections in 2024.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

Petro, a former guerrilla and Colombia's first leftist president, is barred by the constitution from running again.

From Barron's • Mar. 9, 2026

A talented musician, he socialized with what he described as an “exciting group of leftist intellectuals and bon vivants” in San Francisco.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.