modernist

American  

[mod-er-nist] / ˈmɒd ər nɪst /

noun

1. a person who follows or favors modern ways, tendencies, etc.

2. a person who advocates the study of modern subjects in preference to ancient classics.

3. an adherent of modernism in theological questions.

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adjective

1. of modernists or modernism.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• promodernist
  adjective
• hypermodernist
  noun
• antimodernist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of modernist

First recorded in 1580–90; modern + -ist

Explanation

An artist who belonged to a 19th- and 20th-century art movement that rejected old ideas and styles was called a modernist. Virginia Woolf is one example of a modernist writer. The philosophy behind modernist art and writing was basically that the old Victorian ways of expressing artistic vision weren't keeping up with the changes in society. Modern industry, the growth of cities, and reactions to World War I were all factors that affected modernists' break with the old style. Modernist painters included the Impressionists (like Manet and Monet). Philosopher Immanuel Kant, psychologist Sigmund Freud, and composer Arnold Schoenberg are all also considered to be modernists.

Example Sentences

Architects Billie Tsien and Tod Williams brushed off criticism, saying that Obama himself was inspired by the chunky works of the modernist Romanian sculptor.

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

Less a recondite modernist experiment than a grandly mysterious yet accessible achievement, the composition marked a profound shift in 20th-century classical music.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

It features a very modernist design, with two separate wings of the home connected by a central walkthrough area.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 16, 2026

His journey is one of extreme survival, but his destination is the lap of luxury: a modernist San Francisco mansion where he makes himself at home and where he’s clearly been before.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

In its elegant simplicity, the wetu’s design would have pleased the most demanding modernist architect. than the typical English wattle-and-daub house, too.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann