Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of reformist
Explanation
In politics, someone who believes that a government or economy should be improved through gradual changes is a reformist. Reformists tend to focus on working within existing systems and pushing through small changes over time, even if they believe those systems need major repair and reform. In politics, they are often compared with revolutionaries, who advocate for completely overhauling broken governments or societies and replacing them with something new. The Latin root of reformist is reformare, "to form again."
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.
There were also contrasting views among Iran's major media, with the reformist newspaper Etemad on Saturday welcoming the progress as a way to break "chronic geopolitical and economic deadlock".
From Barron's ● Jun. 13, 2026
Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and later became a reformist politician pushing for environmental protections and women’s rights.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
In 2003 he was released by the reformist president Mohammad Khatami, who had received pressure from parliamentarians to do so.
From Salon ● Mar. 6, 2026
In the 1990s and 2000s, Khamenei allowed for reformist governments to run for elections, and win, but he dealt harshly with dissidents.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 1, 2026
While we were not yet ready to announce such a suspension, we wanted to provide Mr. de Klerk with enough encouragement to pursue his reformist strategies.
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
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
