environmentalist
noun
en·vi·ron·men·tal·ist
in-ˌvī-rə(n)-ˈmen-tə-ləst 
-ˌvī(-ə)r(n)-
plural environmentalists
: an advocate of environmentalism : a person who is focused on the preservation, restoration, and improvement of the natural environment
While dams have been touted in the name of water conservation and clean, renewable energy, environmentalists have long challenged the claim that dams are "green" technology. The deleterious ecological impacts of dams, they insist, have been profound.—
Patrick Joseph
Patrick JosephMeanwhile, environmentalists have responded that climate change and habitat loss due to development should require builders to think even more carefully about their projects.—Emma Cotton et al.
Emma Cotton et al.Examples of environmentalist in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Mega-farmers, environmentalists and everyday folk read her site to learn about arcane water district policies, the effect of those policies on farmland and fish and for insights on the political intrigue that powers the San Joaquin Valley.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Age mandates for trees worry some environmentalists Woodlands that are healthy, biodiverse and able to provide food and habitat for myriad species usually have a mix of tree types, from skinny saplings to looming old-timers.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 22 Jan. 2026
Images was established in 1976 by Doris Leeper, an environmentalist and artist who founded Atlantic Center for the Arts, and a dedicated group of volunteers.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
For years, state regulators, businesses, environmentalists and people who live in polluted neighborhoods have been at an impasse on how to define cumulative impacts and how to measure their impact on people’s health.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 17 Jan. 2026
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James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Age mandates for trees worry some environmentalists Woodlands that are healthy, biodiverse and able to provide food and habitat for myriad species usually have a mix of tree types, from skinny saplings to looming old-timers.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 22 Jan. 2026
Images was established in 1976 by Doris Leeper, an environmentalist and artist who founded Atlantic Center for the Arts, and a dedicated group of volunteers.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
For years, state regulators, businesses, environmentalists and people who live in polluted neighborhoods have been at an impasse on how to define cumulative impacts and how to measure their impact on people’s health.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for environmentalist
Cite this Entry
“Environmentalist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/environmentalist. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
environmentalist
noun
en·vi·ron·men·tal·ist
-ˌvī-rən-ˈment-ᵊl-əst
-ˌvī(-ə)rn-
: a person concerned about environmental quality and especially with controlling pollution
Medical Definition
environmentalist
noun
en·vi·ron·men·tal·ist
-ᵊl-əst
1
: an advocate of environmentalism
2
: one concerned about environmental quality especially of the human environment with respect to the control of pollution
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