Synonyms

nationalist

American

[nash-uh-nl-ist, nash-nuh-list] / ˈnæʃ ə nl ɪst, ˈnæʃ nə lɪst /

noun

a person devoted to nationalism.
(initial capital letter) a member of a political group advocating or fighting for national independence, a strong national government, etc.

adjective

Also nationalistic. of, relating to, or promoting nationalism.

the beginnings of a nationalist movement.
(initial capital letter) of, relating to, or noting a political group advocating or fighting for national independence, a strong national government, etc.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

nationalists

plural

Etymology

Origin of nationalist

First recorded in 1705–15; national + -ist

Explanation

A nationalist is a person who favors independence for a country. A Scottish nationalist, for example, believes that Scotland should be independent and separate from Great Britain. One kind of nationalist advocates political independence, feeling that her region or state would be better off as a completely separate country from the one that currently controls it. Another sort of nationalist also cares deeply for a country — believing, in fact, that her own country is better than all other countries. This type of nationalist is an extreme patriot, and the term has been around since the 1700s.

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Vocabulary lists containing nationalist

African History - Middle School and High School

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Labour heavily subsidises energy bills and the Nationalist Party said it would do so too if elected.

From Barron's • May 31, 2026

The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party boycotted elections in 2014 and 2024.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

For the next three years, the Nationalist Kuomintang – then the ruling government and the main source of Chinese resistance against Japan – fought a civil war against Mao Zedong's Communist Party forces.

From BBC • Aug. 14, 2025

Concerns about spying in Taiwan and China date back to the Chinese civil war, after which the defeated Chinese Nationalist Party, or the Kuomintang, fled to Taiwan in 1949.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2025

Poliak said, “There are of course differences between Strijdom and Mandela. Mandela is not a Nationalist and Mandela is not a white.”

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023