minimalist

[min-uh-muh-list]

noun

1. a person who favors a moderate approach to the achievement of a set of goals or who holds minimal expectations for the success of a program.

2. a practitioner of minimalism in music or art.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of minimalism.

2. being or offering no more than what is required or essential.

   a minimalist program for tax reform.

ˈminimalist

¹

/ ˈmɪnɪməlɪst /

noun

1. a person advocating a minimal policy, style, technique, action, etc

2. a minimal artist

adjective

1. of or relating to minimal art or artists

Minimalist

²

/ ˈmɪnɪməlɪst /

noun

1. a member of the faction of the Social Revolutionaries that advocated immediate postrevolutionary democracy

2. a less common name for a Menshevik

Word History and Origins

Origin of minimalist¹

1905–10; in political use < French minimaliste ( minimal, -ist ), translation of Russian men'shevík Menshevik; subsequent uses perhaps recoinage with minimal, -ist

Example Sentences

"My work is dedicated to a minimalist way of life," one full-time influencer tells the BBC.

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My rather minimalist Brooklyn home needed some production design.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Scott Pask’s minimalist set for Mr. Hunter’s drama—a gray sofa and a ceiling fan overhead—is as stark as the largely bare spaces in which most Beckett plays take place.

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The band’s arresting sound was evident from their very first single, “Just What I Needed”: Synthesizer melodies and minimalist song structures combined with arena-ready guitar solos to create an unflappable New Wave blend.

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“Nebraska” is a minimalist tableau of sin, a chilling void punctuated with coyote yelps and lonely harmonica solos.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• essential 
• minimal 

When To Use

What does minimalist mean?

Minimalist is most generally used as an adjective describing a style or approach  that uses a small number of elements.Minimalist can also be used to refer to a person who favors a style or approach.More specifically, minimalist can refer to an artist who practices or uses Minimalism, which can refer to a type of painting or sculpture (sometimes called minimal art), music, or other art form. Art forms labeled minimalist typically use the simplest and fewest elements with the goal of creating the maximum effect.The term minimalism can also be used in a more general way to refer to a minimalist style or approach.The related adjective minimalistic is used to describe something that is stripped down to its most essential elements or uses only what is needed. Both minimalist and minimalistic can be used to describe things that are simplified and include only the most basic components, without embellishment.Example: Jane says she’s a minimalist when it comes to interior design, but to me it just looks like her house is missing a lot of furniture.