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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

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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.

"Good night, happy new year," the 63-year-old leftist was heard saying in English.

From Barron's

Colombia is a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council this year and leftist leader Petro called for the body to meet "immediately."

From Barron's

In recent weeks, the 63-year-old leftist has been dancing on stage at rallies, calmly strolling trade expos and attending Christmas tree lightings hand-in-hand with his wife.

From The Wall Street Journal

Podhoretz and his friend Irving Kristol—also a Brooklyn Jew and a former leftist—were the two foremost exponents of neoconservatism.

From The Wall Street Journal

The 67-year-old construction magnate and former mayor of the Honduran capital is running in a tight three-way race gainst a leftist lawyer and a fellow right-wing TV host in the Sunday vote.

From Barron's

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.