Luddites

Cultural  

1. Opponents of the introduction of labor-saving machinery. The original Luddites, followers of a legendary Ned Ludd, were British laborers of the early nineteenth century who smashed textile-making machines that threatened their jobs.

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Contemporary opponents of technological change are sometimes called “Luddites.”

Example Sentences

Professors who are Luddites or have used the same syllabus for years sometimes struggle to get out of that state of inertia, Cook said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

In 1812 Luddites took hammers to knitting machines for fear of jobs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 22, 2026

Call me a Luddite, but I’ll take it as a compliment—after all, Luddites started the original rebellion against Big Tech.

From Slate • Dec. 26, 2023

De La Torre was never judgmental during our one-hour chat, and his final answer about Luddites like me was perfectly rational — even empathetic.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 27, 2023

Horsfall was a fine, generous, high spirited fellow, but he was specially obnoxious to the Luddites, whose doings he was always denouncing in the most violent way.

From Through the Fray A Tale of the Luddite Riots by Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)