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
Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Every version of me is a pacifist.
—Zadie Smith, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Arkansas Online, 19 Feb. 2026
The robber, of course, is Davis, who is something of a pacifist prince of thieves.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pacifist
Noun
Also in 1968, Blais worked as an assistant director on Straight to the Heart, a dramedy by Jean-Pierre Lefebvre that starred musician-actor Robert Charlebois as a pacifist brainwashed by mysterious authorities to embrace war.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Every version of me is a pacifist.
—Zadie Smith, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Takaichi has pledged to revise security and defense policies by December to bolster Japan's military capabilities, lifting a ban on lethal weapons exports and moving further away from postwar pacifist principles.
—Arkansas Online, 19 Feb. 2026
The robber, of course, is Davis, who is something of a pacifist prince of thieves.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pacifist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pacifist
Noun
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First, many Iran doves seriously underestimated the risks and costs of attempting to coexist with the regime.—
Jamie McIntyre,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
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Some outfitters don’t book late-season dove hunts.—
Matt Wyatt,
Houston Chronicle,
23 Mar. 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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While the mood was generally sunny and marches largely peaceful, the third No Kings protests were an unmistakable display of political force that could reverberate in the 2026 midterms and beyond.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
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One detained at Dallas demonstration While most of Saturday's rallies were peaceful, police say one person was detained at the Dallas demonstration.—
Briseida Holguin,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Moreover, this image isn’t a void or hole at all, but a cloud of light-blocking neutral gas, made simply of plain old collections of atoms.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
26 Mar. 2026
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High ceilings, expansive windows, and a restrained neutral palette creates an atmosphere that feels instantly and effortlessly calm.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pacifist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pacifist. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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