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conscientious objector
noun
: a person who refuses to serve in the armed forces or bear arms on moral or religious grounds
Examples of conscientious objector in a Sentence
He registered as a conscientious objector.
Recent Examples on the Web
The requirement has long been a contentious topic – hundreds of conscientious objectors have been jailed over the years, according to Amnesty International, many of whom refused to serve on religious grounds.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN, 26 Nov. 2024
Muhammad Ali returned to boxing in Atlanta, which lit a flame in his heart
Ali (Dexter Darden) had been sidelined, banned from boxing for more than three years after refusing to be inducted into the U.S. military during the Vietnam War as a conscientious objector.
—Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 7 Sep. 2024
Muhammad Ali had gone more than three years without fighting due to his controversial decision to opt out of the Vietnam War as an Islamic conscientious objector.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024
Think about those who became conscientious objectors in the face of being drafted for the Vietnam War.
—Jishnu Guha-Majumdar, Vox, 8 Aug. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1916, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of conscientious objector was
in 1916
Dictionary Entries Near conscientious objector
Cite this Entry
“Conscientious objector.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conscientious%20objector. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
conscientious objector
noun
: a person who refuses to serve in the armed forces or to bear arms because of his or her moral or religious beliefs
More from Merriam-Webster on conscientious objector
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about conscientious objector
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