activist

1 of 2

noun

ac·​tiv·​ist ˈak-ti-vist 

plural activists

: one who advocates or practices activism : a person who uses or supports strong actions (such as public protests) in support of or opposition to one side of a controversial issue

Antiwar activists were protesting in the streets.

an environmental activist

political activists

The conventional wisdom is that young people no longer care enough to stand up for what is important; that the days of activism and protest have faded into the past, the bailiwick of aging hippies and activists.

—The Easton (Massachusetts) Journal

activistic

ˌak-ti-ˈvi-stik 

adjective

What is news to me … is how much alike were the fears and concerns of both activistic Democrats and skeptical Republicans …

—Nathan Glazer

activist

2 of 2

adjective

: advocating or practicing activism : using or supporting strong actions in support of or opposition to one side of a controversial issue

For the activist groups that will carry the nomination fight to the public, the name of the game is hit early and often.

—Richard Lacayo

Pressing demands that are both global and granular, the activist investor has turned himself into one of the food sector's most influential players, affecting how millions of people eat each day.

—Julie Jargon

They plan to become activist shareholders who will protest global-warming resolutions and anything else that undermines corporate profitability.

—John J. Miller

Examples of activist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

That was my impression after the Villars Ocean Forum, a gathering of over 150 leaders from academic, activist, and business backgrounds. —Natalie Sum Yue Chung, Fortune, 3 May 2026

The Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who is currently serving an 18-year prison sentence in Iran, has been hospitalized in critical condition after collapsing and losing consciousness in jail. —Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 2 May 2026

Adjective

In some cases, ProPublica found, officials have been hired from activist groups that are pillars of the election-denial movement. —ProPublica, 1 May 2026

According to the ships’ tracker published on the activist group’s website, 22 vessels were intercepted in international waters west of the southern Greek island of Crete, while a further 36 were still sailing midday on Thursday. —ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1920, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1917, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

activist

noun

ac·​tiv·​ist

ˈak-ti-vəst

: a person who believes in forceful action (as a mass demonstration) for political purposes

activism

-ˌviz-əm

noun