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

Meanwhile, 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.

Examples of environmentalist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The spirit of the battle lives on with locals, union activists, and even environmentalists, such as those who marked the battle’s 90th anniversary by retracing the 50-mile march from Marmet to Blair Mountain in June 2011. — Elijah Tanall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026

Nelson himself has long been an environmentalist, raising over $70 million through Farm Aid to help rural farmers and millions more for disaster relief and veterans. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 28 July 2026

The decision has sparked outcry among astronomers and environmentalists who are concerned about the impact on global light pollution levels that Reflect Orbital's plans might have. — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 27 July 2026

Two weeks ago, the prominent environmentalist and education activist Sonam Wangchuk joined them and launched a hunger strike. — Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 20 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for environmentalist

• experimentalist
• fundamentalist
• instrumentalist
• orientalist
• transcendentalist
• gentlest

Kids 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