protectionist

noun pro·tec·tion·ist \ prə-ˈtek-sh(ə-)nist \

Definition of protectionist

: an advocate of government economic protection for domestic producers through restrictions on foreign competitors

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protectionism

play \prə-ˈtek-shə-ˌni-zəm\ noun

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protectionist

adjective

Recent Examples of protectionist from the Web

According to one poll from earlier this year, the anti-NATO protectionist is among the most esteemed figures in French political life, with an approval rating of 68 percent.

— james mcauley, Washington Post, "Is Jean-Luc Mélenchon what’s left of the left in France?," 22 Sep. 2017
But Trump protectionists have planted a few land mines in the otherwise valuable agenda.

— mary anastasia o’grady, WSJ, "Trump and the Nafta Talks," 23 July 2017
The real divide over TPP was not between free traders and protectionists.

— reihan salam, Slate Magazine, "Why the Trans-Pacific Partnership Failed," 25 Jan. 2017
While China may hope that its recent order to its banks may calm things, there is a fever in Washington to punish its firms, both for patriotic reasons and because protectionists are newly influential.

— The Economist, "American efforts to control Chinese firms abroad are dangerous," 14 Oct. 2017
Protectionists like to cite the U.S. trade deficit—last year imports of goods and services exceeded exports by $501 billion—as evidence that unfair trade agreements have hurt American competitiveness.

— martin neil baily and adam looney, WSJ, "The True Trade Deficit," 18 May 2017
There is disagreement among his own advisers, too: according to The Washington Post, the protectionists in Trump’s inner circle—

— abigail tracy, The Hive, "Trumpcare’s Implosion Has Endangered the Entire G.O.P. Agenda," 27 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'protectionist.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.