na·tion·al·ist
ˈna-sh(ə-)nə-list 
plural nationalists
: an advocate of or believer in nationalism: such as
a
: a member of a political party or group advocating a government that is strongly committed to nationalism (see nationalism sense 1)
Nationalists in the United States and elsewhere advocate wide-ranging government control of the economy, most notably in the form of industrial policy, protectionism, and immigration restrictionism.—
Alex Nowrasteh and Ilya Somin
Alex Nowrasteh and Ilya Somin
b
: a member of a political party or group advocating national independence
An independent Wales, nationalists point out, would still be larger than 39 other self-sufficient nations …—Peter Stuart
Peter Stuart1
: of, relating to, or advocating nationalism
After independence, nationalist fervor rejected compulsory English instruction in favor of the national language, Pilipino, which is based on Tagalog, a tongue spoken by the population around Manila.—Edwin Kiester, Jr. and Sally Valente Kiester
Edwin Kiester, Jr. and Sally Valente Kiester2
sometimes Nationalist
: of or constituting a political group or party advocating or associated with nationalism
the group's nationalist agenda
… the strength of the Nationalist vote greatly inhibits the possibility of a majority Labour government …—Brian Wilson
—often used in the capitalized names of specific groupsBrian Wilsona member of the Irish Nationalist Party
Examples of nationalist in a Sentence
Noun
a staunch nationalist who favored any policy that would give the country more power in the international arena
Adjective
The country's Nationalist Party won the election.
most of the articles on the website are nationalist propaganda and not objective by any means
Recent Examples on the Web
Sara Stridsberg
september 15, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
The flag, which dates back to the American Revolution, has more recently been associated with Christian nationalists.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2025
Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, founded the nationalist and anti-Islam English Defense League and is one of the most influential far-right figures in Britain.
—Brian Melley, Arkansas Online, 14 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nationalist
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Noun
Aleksandar Vučić, who has been in power for thirteen years, was a minister in Milošević’s government and is a right-wing nationalist.
—Sara Stridsberg
september 15, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
The flag, which dates back to the American Revolution, has more recently been associated with Christian nationalists.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Nationalist movements in Hungary, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Iraq, and Peru have all struggled with questions of inclusion, specifically with regard to religious and ethnic minorities.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, founded the nationalist and anti-Islam English Defense League and is one of the most influential far-right figures in Britain.
—Brian Melley, Arkansas Online, 14 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nationalist
Cite this Entry
“Nationalist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nationalist. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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