social justice warrior

American  

[soh-shuhl juhs-tis wawr-ee-er, wor‐] / ˈsoʊ ʃəl ˈdʒʌs tɪs ˌwɔr i ər, ˌwɒr‐ /

noun

1. Disparaging. a term for a person who advocates a liberal progressive orthodoxy, often on the internet, especially involving the treatment of ethnic, racial, or sexual minorities. SJW

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Etymology

Origin of social justice warrior

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

A social worker by day and a social justice warrior by night, she comes from money but presents herself as an ally.

From Washington Post • Feb. 28, 2023

Here is the Los Angeles Times’ obituary on a legendary athlete, social justice warrior and civil rights activist.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 31, 2022

Like Congressman John Lewis, another social justice warrior who passed recently, he knew “good trouble” when he saw it and wasn’t afraid to wade in.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 1, 2020

He was sort of a wealthy Boston Brahmin — his father was a co-owner of Filene’s department store — except he was Jewish, and also what we would call a social justice warrior.

From New York Times • Mar. 28, 2019

Cox was a social justice warrior in the old-fashioned sense of the word.

From Slate • Dec. 1, 2017