theorist

noun

the·​o·​rist ˈthē-ə-rist How to pronounce theorist (audio)
ˈthir-ist
Synonyms of theoristnext
: a person who theorizes

Examples of theorist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Now other theorists are building upon this theory. Quanta Magazine, 6 May 2026 Among the theorists affiliated with the CCCS were Angela McRobbie, Paul Gilroy, Dick Hebdige, Paul Willis, Richard Johnson, Larry Grossberg, John Clarke, and David Morley. Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 May 2026 This movement, known as critical legal studies, was associated with the political left, and its exponents, known as crits, loved to disparage liberal theorists’ devotion to the Constitution as naïve and counterproductive. Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 This happy ending was by no means guaranteed, and Habermas’s work as a theorist and polemicist made an important contribution to it. Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for theorist

Word History

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of theorist was in 1588

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Theorist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theorist. Accessed 9 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

theorist

noun
the·​o·​rist ˈthē-ə-rəst How to pronounce theorist (audio)
ˈthi(-ə)r-əst
: a person who theorizes

More from Merriam-Webster on theorist

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster