columnist

noun

Definition of columnistnext
as in writer
a person who writes a newspaper or magazine column The columnist is known to take provocative positions that often shape the opinions of her readers. a gossip columnist

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of columnist Championship rings are not used as a measuring stick only by overcaffeinated fans and simpleminded columnists and talk-show hosts. — Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 30 July 2026 The columnist has spent nearly two decades at the Times and is an author of numerous books. — Jocelyn Noveck, Fortune, 29 July 2026 The new wave of hires comes after former New York Times columnist Bari Weiss became the program's new editor-in-chief. — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 29 July 2026 The following month, Weiss hired New York Times opinion columnist Ross Douthat, documentary filmmaker Sebastian Junger and former Vice News journalist Gianna Toboni. — Emma Banks, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for columnist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for columnist
  1. writer
  2. reporter
  3. author
  4. journalist
  5. novelist
Noun
  • Contributing Writer Laura Itzkowitz is a freelance writer and editor with a passion for covering travel, arts and culture, lifestyle, design, food, and wine.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Ahmed Naji is a bilingual writer, journalist, documentary filmmaker, and official criminal from Egypt.
    — Sabrina Jaszi, The Dial, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of writer
Noun
  • And for broadcast leaders, please keep investing in reporters and tools to serve the traveling public.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The political reporter, who has worked in news settings since high school, says he’s seen the industry evolve and struggle to preserve relevancy in some ways.
    — Janey Wetzel, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of reporter
Noun
  • The author warns that humanity's insistence on supremacy could lead to conflict with advanced AI, even provoking existential threats.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The author, who appears in the series and serves as a consulting producer, took part in a panel discussion of Monsters of God Thursday night after HBO screened episode 1 at Vidiots in Los Angeles.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of author
Noun
  • The president also frequently recounts that hordes of women, including journalists, Cabinet members and administration officials, used to complain to him about their high heels getting stuck in the mud in the old, grassy Rose Garden.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Jen Kirby is a freelance journalist currently based in Rome, Italy.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of journalist
Noun
  • True to form, the story is narrated by an unscrupulous wanna-be novelist named Bret Easton Ellis (Igby Rigney), a closet case lusting away for the new hunk at his cruel prep school.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Anna Juul is a screenwriter and novelist, satirist and board member with the Danish Mental Health Fund.
    — Sabrina Jaszi, The Dial, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of novelist

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Cite this Entry

“Columnist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/columnist. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on columnist

Nglish: Translation of columnist for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about columnist

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