environmentalism

noun

en·​vi·​ron·​men·​tal·​ism in-ˌvī-rə(n)-ˈmen-tə-ˌli-zəm How to pronounce environmentalism (audio)
-ˌvī(-ə)r(n)-
1
: a political and social movement focused on the preservation, restoration, and improvement of the natural environment
I urge the community to renew our commitment to environmentalism by focusing on the defining issue of our generation: global warming.Dan Wolk
She had embraced environmentalism as a college student, then worked with various NGOs to reduce China's air and water pollution …Lin Yang
Here in the heavy industry heartland of Colombia, environmentalism has old roots and has endured through decades of violence and intimidation.Fatima Garcia Elena
2
dated : a theory that views environment rather than heredity as the important factor in the development and especially the cultural and intellectual development of an individual or group
… an extreme environmentalism developed in psychology and anthropology which minimized, if not denied altogether, any genetic contribution to the differences among human individuals.Ernst Mayr

Examples of environmentalism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Her intelligence is that vital and exacting, her wit that mischievous, her concerns – feminism, environmentalism, dystopian societies – that urgently relevant. Literary Hub, 10 July 2025 Avatar is very much a look at environmentalism, and ravaging natural resources for greed and corruption. Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 27 June 2025 Clearly, efficiency and environmentalism took a backseat to performance for this hybrid. Michael Teo Van Runkle, ArsTechnica, 17 June 2025 All court justices appeared to acknowledge that there is a big difference between responsible environmentalism and environmental obstructionism. Saleem H. Ali, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for environmentalism

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of environmentalism was in 1917

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Cite this Entry

“Environmentalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/environmentalism. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

environmentalism

noun
en·​vi·​ron·​men·​tal·​ism -ˌvī-rən-ˈment-ᵊl-ˌi-zəm How to pronounce environmentalism (audio)
-ˌvī(-ə)rn-
: the act or process of preserving, restoring, or improving the natural environment

Medical Definition

environmentalism

noun
en·​vi·​ron·​men·​tal·​ism -ˌvī-rən-ˈment-ᵊl-ˌiz-əm, -ˌvī(-ə)rn- How to pronounce environmentalism (audio)
: a theory that views environment rather than heredity as the important factor in the development and especially the cultural and intellectual development of an individual or group

More from Merriam-Webster on environmentalism

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