as in dove
a person who opposes war or warlike policies
a committed pacifist, Gandhi succeeded in bringing about Indian independence using only nonviolence
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
or pacifistic
as in pacific
inclined to live in peace and to avoid war
the newspaper's editorial board has clearly staked out a pacifist position on the current conflict
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pacifist
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026
All voiceover in the film is detached from the images, from a mixture of unidentified community folk who are content to speak anonymously, and neighboring outsiders perplexed by these out-of-time pacifists.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Nov. 2025
J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Japan’s pacifist constitution wouldn’t bar the country from helping with mine clearance around the Strait of Hormuz at the conclusion of the war between the US, Israel and Iran, but Tokyo has no plans to deploy minesweepers to the region, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said.
—Alastair Gale, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pacifist
Noun
There are nods to this history throughout, and particularly in the restaurant, Annette, which was named in tribute to Annette Kolb, the inspirational French-German writer and pacifist who lived at the original Hotel Cayré for 17 years from 1944.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026
All voiceover in the film is detached from the images, from a mixture of unidentified community folk who are content to speak anonymously, and neighboring outsiders perplexed by these out-of-time pacifists.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Japan deployed its first long-range cruise missiles at a military camp, pushing the limits of the country’s pacifist stance.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Japan’s pacifist constitution wouldn’t bar the country from helping with mine clearance around the Strait of Hormuz at the conclusion of the war between the US, Israel and Iran, but Tokyo has no plans to deploy minesweepers to the region, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said.
—Alastair Gale, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pacifist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pacifist
Noun
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Hathaway was penalized for two minutes for high sticking and visually pleaded with the referees on his way to the penalty box that Crosby dove.—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
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Instead of letting the lanky, nearly 7-foot Durant corral the loose ball, the 6-3 Smart dove to secure it for himself.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Olivier tried successfully to get the reader to understand how a gentle, pacific young man could come to kill more than a thousand people, and so capturing the tone and empathetic portrayal not only of Simo Häyhä and his colleagues but also of the often-bewildered Russian soldiers was essential.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
30 Jan. 2026
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Courtesy: Apple Apple on Tuesday sent invites to the media and analysts for a launch event at its campus on September 9 at 10 A.M pacific time.—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Located in the Tuscan countryside 30 minutes from Florence, the property offers plenty of space and a peaceful escape with easy access to a wealth of museums, galleries, restaurants, and boutiques.—
Jessica Puckett,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
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Others talk about a kind of quiet that does not feel peaceful.—
Ana Jarzin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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According to Newsweek, the overall score was composed of 80% from survey results, and 20% from social listening analysis, which analyzed media coverage and online discussion to assess whether public sentiment was positive, neutral or negative.—
Finch Walker,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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The battle was fought during the Napoleonic Wars, as Britain attacked Denmark to break a neutral alliance with other European powers that threatened British naval supremacy.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pacifist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pacifist. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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