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 neutral
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pacifist
Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025
The anti-expansionist response united pacifists, abolitionists and a variety of religious and literary figures, helping deepen the divides that would lead to the Civil War.
—G. Patrick O'Brien, The Conversation, 3 Mar. 2025
Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025
On the other, Yehuda attempts to walk a fragile moral line as a knowing political pawn in a greater chess game — whose intended outcome is war — while attempting to retain his pacifist beliefs by holding bad apples to account, if not the greater structures at play.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pacifist
Noun
Shoshone chief Winter Bird (Irene Bedard) is a pacifist dealing with young braves too eager to fight.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025
The anti-expansionist response united pacifists, abolitionists and a variety of religious and literary figures, helping deepen the divides that would lead to the Civil War.
—G. Patrick O'Brien, The Conversation, 3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Meanwhile, a visiting company of the pacifist fake Irish Travelers called the Tuatha’an have sought refuge in the village too, and Perrin’s counting on these non-fighters to run the town’s children to safety.
—Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025
On the other, Yehuda attempts to walk a fragile moral line as a knowing political pawn in a greater chess game — whose intended outcome is war — while attempting to retain his pacifist beliefs by holding bad apples to account, if not the greater structures at play.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pacifist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pacifist
Noun
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Local and regional community members gathered for a Memorial Day ceremony, which included a dove release, held on May 26 in the Veterans Honor Courtyard at La Colonia Community Center in Solana Beach.—
Del Mar Times,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2025
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Those skills apparently translate fairly easily into urban environments, where Cooper’s hawks flit amid trees and concrete landscapes, stalking city pigeons and doves.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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This is being done to comply with the sport's goal of being carbon neutral by 2030.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 June 2025
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With Messi and his mates, Miami has sold out huge NFL stadiums and other neutral venues.—
Felipe Cardenas,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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Iran says its uranium enrichment program is for peaceful purposes.—
Rebecca Rosman,
NPR,
14 June 2025
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The White House on Thursday, however, said Trump supports peaceful protesters.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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If anything, the scale of the Second World War and the advent of the atom bomb made the quest for a peaceable international order more urgent than ever.—
Margaret MacMillan,
The Atlantic,
30 Apr. 2025
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Protesters were given cards with QR codes that linked to Yale University’s policies for peaceable assembly, such as keeping everyone physically safe, not blocking entrances and exits and no disruptions to the university’s operations.—
Brynn Gingras,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Xi must know that old societies tend to be pacific and that China is getting old fast.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
23 Dec. 2024
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Their awards show is today, Saturday, at 12 noon pacific time.—
Charlie Fink,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pacifist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pacifist. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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