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
See all Example Sentences for conscientious objector 
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.
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
See all Example Sentences for conscientious objector
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 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share