a member of the radical faction of Social Revolutionaries that supported terrorism against the tsarist regime and advocated a short period of postrevolutionary working-class dictatorship
a less common name for a Bolshevik
< Russian maksimalíst, coinage originally applied in 1906 to an extreme splinter group of the Russian Socialist-Revolutionary party; see maximal, -ist
A maximalist is someone who thinks things should be done in the biggest and boldest way possible. In politics, maximalists demand major changes, usually with the goal of ending capitalism. Political maximalists believe in doing whatever is needed to obtain a goal. For Marxists, that means taking the necessary steps to achieve socialism — even a revolutionary overthrow of the current government. A less radical maximalist might endorse fighting for several major social changes immediately, without compromise. The term comes from this push to achieve the maximum amount of political objectives, rather than settling for the minimum. You can also use it to describe a busy, colorful, cluttered decorating style.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The collective dreamed up the N.E.S.T. about two years ago as a way of paying tribute to maximalist roadside attractions like Wisconsin’s House on the Rock or New Mexico’s Tinkertown Museum.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
A maximalist, grown-up riff on seven-layer dip: smoky chorizo, creamy beans, sweet corn and tangy crema stacked into something closer to a full meal than a snack.
From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026
Color—lots of it—is in, with homeowners ditching neutral decor for maximalist interiors.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
In some cases, its leaders have adopted the American president’s tactics, from maximalist negotiating demands to online mockery.
From Slate • Mar. 26, 2026
But even before Iran responded, Middle East experts warned that the maximalist demands would be viewed as nonstarters by the regime in Tehran.
From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026
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.
