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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 pacifist
Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2025
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
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2025
Leaders of the Whitaker peace coalition say this sanctuary is the result of Uganda’s liberal open border policies toward refugees, and that their pacifist outreach is ultimately aimed at halting—step-by-step—conflicts across the region.
—Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pacifist
Noun
Marchand has crossed lines by licking players, or repeatedly punching a hockey pacifist like Vancouver’s Daniel Sedin in a final series.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2025
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
Adjective
Japan’s pacifist constitution restricts it from exporting weapons—but in 2024 Tokyo loosened arms export controls to enable it to boost sales abroad.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2025
Leaders of the Whitaker peace coalition say this sanctuary is the result of Uganda’s liberal open border policies toward refugees, and that their pacifist outreach is ultimately aimed at halting—step-by-step—conflicts across the region.
—Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pacifist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pacifist
Noun
-
The supermodel Karolina Kourkova made a rare catwalk comeback in a satin robin’s egg blue cocoon coat worn over a trumpet dress in dove gray.—
Blue Carreon,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Kristijan Kahlina dove left and saved Lionel Messi’s penalty kick in the 32nd minute.—
Colin Cerniglia,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
As the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis documented, the press are often participants, not merely neutral observers, in the Israel-Islamist conflict.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Stellar mass black holes are considered to be electrically neutral, and until now, primordial black holes were theorized to be the same.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
What began as a peaceful protest escalated after the government deployed a heavy security presence in the protest area.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Where to stay A 20-minute walk from Tiananmen Square and the entrance to the Forbidden City is the PuXuan Hotel and Spa, an oasis of 116 peaceful rooms.—
Mae Hamilton,
AFAR Media,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In fact, as believing Christians, Jews, or Muslims know, the founders and leaders of these major world religions advocate understanding of others, empathy for their suffering, and the pursuit of peaceable relations with all.—
Howard Steele,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Such was the peaceable dreaming, the end-of-history thinking, in the wake of the Twelve-Day War.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
28 July 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
My late grandfather, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, served in the pacific campaign.—
Simon Perry,
People.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pacifist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pacifist. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share