populist

1 of 2

noun

pop·​u·​list ˈpä-pyə-list 

1

: a member of a political party claiming to represent the common people

especially, often capitalized : a member of a U.S. political party formed in 1891 primarily to represent agrarian interests and to advocate the free coinage of silver and government control of monopolies

2

: a believer in the rights, wisdom, or virtues of the common people

populism

ˈpä-pyə-ˌli-zəm 

noun

populistic

ˌpä-pyə-ˈli-stik 

adjective

populist

2 of 2

adjective

1

often capitalized : of, relating to, or characterized by populism

2

a

: popular sense 1

b

: popular sense 2

Examples of populist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Following the lead of other populists on the global stage, the Awami League rigged elections and used force to determine electoral outcomes. —Tithi Bhattacharya / Made By History, TIME, 4 Sep. 2024

Yet Walz was never a firebrand populist in the vein of Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren. —Andrew Prokop, Vox, 9 Aug. 2024

Adjective

In Washington, Vance is seen as one of the more populist members of the Senate Banking Committee. —Brian Schwartz, CNBC, 12 Sep. 2024

The two are fighting for the support of the state’s working-class voters, uneasy with President Joe Biden’s economic agenda and drawn to Trump’s populist appeals. —Stephanie Lai, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin populus the people

First Known Use

Noun

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 1