pacifist

1 of 2

noun

pac·​i·​fist ˈpa-sə-fist 

plural pacifists

: an adherent to pacifism : someone who opposes war or violence as a means of settling disputes

… the attack inflamed the American public and turned isolationists and pacifists into gung-ho patriots hot for revenge.

—Evan Thomas

Not every woman will or should be a pacifist; and to advance in the Senate and into the White House, women will have to convince the voters that they're prepared to go to war.

—Wendy Kaminer

pacifist

2 of 2

adjective

variants or pacifistic

ˌpa-sə-ˈfi-stik 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of pacifism or pacifists

distributing pacifist literature

2

: strongly and actively opposed to conflict and especially war

pacifist beliefs

pacifistically

ˌpa-sə-ˈfi-sti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms

Noun

• dove
• peacenik

Adjective

• dovish
• pacific
• peaceable
• peaceful

Examples of pacifist in a Sentence

Noun

a committed pacifist, Gandhi succeeded in bringing about Indian independence using only nonviolence

Adjective

the newspaper's editorial board has clearly staked out a pacifist position on the current conflict

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Robertson, a Milwaukee philanthropist who is 108 years old, started the program in 2016 in memory of her late mother, Roberts, a pacifist and suffragette. —Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024

As a young revolutionary during the 1896 fight against Spain and then as a soldier fighting against the Americans, Tomas had witnessed the effects of violence on people and become a pacifist. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1898, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1908, in the meaning defined at sense 1