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.
I am not even an anti-A.I. maximalist and have found these and dozens more examples to be annoying.
From Slate • Jun. 10, 2026
To most, though, Earth, Wind & Fire is synonymous with “September” memes, maximalist performance and magic onstage and in their music.
From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026
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
“Any indication that there is some kind of resolution and that Iran is backing off their maximalist demands would be welcome by the oil market,” Cahill says.
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
Even for a president who has long relied on maximalist threats, the 85-word post was startling.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 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.
