pacifism
noun
pac·i·fism
ˈpa-sə-ˌfi-zəm 
1
: opposition to war or violence as a means of settling disputes
specifically
: refusal to bear arms on moral or religious grounds
For Quakers pacifism is a major tenet of belief.
2
: an attitude or policy of nonresistance
efforts toward pacifism and civil rights
Examples of pacifism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The state will also have to convince the nation’s educational institutions to overcome their outdated ethos of pacifism; most top research universities still prohibit their engineers and scientists from collaborating with the armed forces.
—
Tomohiko Taniguchi, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2024
For its part, Japan has made bold changes in defense policy after years of nominal pacifism, doubling the amount earmarked for military spending and acquiring Tomahawk missiles from the United States.
—Motoko Rich, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2024
To an extent, pacifism has served as a kind of balm for many Germans, who, given the extent of German crimes under Nazism, see no other moral way forward.
—James Angelos, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2023
This large-scale aid is all the more exceptional given Germany’s long-standing pacifism, which has historically led Berlin to refuse to send weapons to conflict zones.
—Norbert Röttgen, Foreign Affairs, 22 Dec. 2023
Political dishonesty, whether antisocial Antifa-ism or apathetic pacifism, has resulted in madness.
—Armond White, National Review, 15 Sep. 2023
During World War II, his father traveled to promote pacifism and Zionism.
—Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2024
The nationalists continue to see Article 9 as a humiliating assault on Japanese sovereignty, while their liberal opponents continue to see pacifism as a necessary lesson to be drawn from Japan’s dismal wartime record.
—Ian Buruma, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023
Boel Westin, a professor of children’s literature at Stockholm University who wrote a biography of Jansson, said that the artist used her work to express her ideas around pacifism.
—Nina Siegal, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2023
Tomohiko Taniguchi, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2024
For its part, Japan has made bold changes in defense policy after years of nominal pacifism, doubling the amount earmarked for military spending and acquiring Tomahawk missiles from the United States.
—Motoko Rich, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2024
To an extent, pacifism has served as a kind of balm for many Germans, who, given the extent of German crimes under Nazism, see no other moral way forward.
—James Angelos, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2023
This large-scale aid is all the more exceptional given Germany’s long-standing pacifism, which has historically led Berlin to refuse to send weapons to conflict zones.
—Norbert Röttgen, Foreign Affairs, 22 Dec. 2023
Political dishonesty, whether antisocial Antifa-ism or apathetic pacifism, has resulted in madness.
—Armond White, National Review, 15 Sep. 2023
During World War II, his father traveled to promote pacifism and Zionism.
—Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2024
The nationalists continue to see Article 9 as a humiliating assault on Japanese sovereignty, while their liberal opponents continue to see pacifism as a necessary lesson to be drawn from Japan’s dismal wartime record.
—Ian Buruma, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023
Boel Westin, a professor of children’s literature at Stockholm University who wrote a biography of Jansson, said that the artist used her work to express her ideas around pacifism.
—Nina Siegal, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pacifism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pacifism
Cite this Entry
“Pacifism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pacifism. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pacifism
noun
pac·i·fism
ˈpas-ə-ˌfiz-əm
: opposition to war or violence as a means of settling disputes
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