protectionist
noun
pro·tec·tion·ist
prə-ˈtek-sh(ə-)nist 
: an advocate of government economic protection for domestic producers through restrictions on foreign competitors
protectionist
adjective
Examples of protectionist in a Sentence
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Trump has dramatically expanded U.S. tariffs since returning to office, marking one of the most sweeping protectionist shifts in decades.
—
Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Oct. 2025
President Donald Trump issued a July 30 executive order to close the de minimis exemption, a customs tax rule that has allowed millions of cheap shipments everyday to flow into the U.S., for all countries, effective Aug. 29, as part of his broader protectionist trade campaign.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 27 Aug. 2025
Some lawyers argue convincingly that the rules are outdated and protectionist.
—Jeff Kauflin, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
But the first protectionist whom the economist, who runs a widely read blog, ever knew was his own father.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for protectionist
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Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Oct. 2025
President Donald Trump issued a July 30 executive order to close the de minimis exemption, a customs tax rule that has allowed millions of cheap shipments everyday to flow into the U.S., for all countries, effective Aug. 29, as part of his broader protectionist trade campaign.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 27 Aug. 2025
Some lawyers argue convincingly that the rules are outdated and protectionist.
—Jeff Kauflin, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
But the first protectionist whom the economist, who runs a widely read blog, ever knew was his own father.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for protectionist
Cite this Entry
“Protectionist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/protectionist. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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