Meanings
nounactivist (plural activists)
plural activists
- One who is politically active in the role of a citizen; especially, one who campaigns for change.
The six activists will now face a retrial at Highbury Magistrates' Court, in front of a new judge.
2023 January 11, “Network News: Court decision overturned: Six HS2 activists face retrial”, in RAIL, number 974, page 91 more example
It has jailed environmental activists and is planning to limit the power of judicial oversight by handing a state-approved body a monopoly over bringing environmental lawsuits.
2013 August 10, “Can China clean up fast enough?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848 - One who is conspicuously active in carrying out any occupational or professional functions.
adjectiveactivist (comparative more activist, superlative most activist)
comparative more activist · superlative most activist
- Behaving as an activist.
Now GM has what may well be the most activist board ever.
2009 December 10, “Angst Over GM's Activist Board”, in BusinessWeek3 more examples
Even in the area of free speech, Justice Harlan sometimes emerged as more activist than his brother
1971 September 26, “They Will Affect The Nation For Years To Come”, in New York TimesThese cell-phoned crowds are activist but not militant; today’s “mobe” is no mob.
2000 April 13, William Safire, “Essay: Here Come the Big Parades”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 27 May 2015Gov. Chris Christie has long complained that New Jersey's Supreme Court is too liberal and too activist
2012 June 1, “Gov. Christie's court pick blocked”, in Cherry Hill Courier Post (NJ)
Synonyms & antonyms
Similar
adjectiveadvocating or engaged in activism
Similar
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂eǵ-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂éǵeti
- Proto-Italic*agō
- Latinagō
- Ancient Greekἐνεργητικός (energētikós)
- Latināctīvu
- Old Frenchactif
- Middle Englishactyf
- Englishactive
- Englishactivist
Translations
Arabic نَاشِط, نَاشِطَة
- نَاشِط (nāšiṭ)one who is politically active
- نَاشِطَة (nāšiṭa)one who is politically active
Bulgarian активи́ст, активи́стка
- активи́ст (aktivíst)one who is politically active
- активи́стка (aktivístka)one who is politically active
Catalan activista
- activistaone who is politically active
Chinese Cantonese 鬥士 /斗士, 運動家 /运动家
- 鬥士 /斗士 (dau³ si⁶)one who is politically active
- 運動家 /运动家one who is politically active
- 活動家 /活动家 (wut⁶ dung⁶ gaa¹)one who is politically active
- 活動人士 /活动人士 (wut⁶ dung⁶ jan⁴ si⁶)one who is politically active
- 活躍份子 /活跃份子 (wut⁶ joek³ fan⁶ zi²)one who is politically active
Chinese Mandarin 活躍分子 /活跃分子, 活動分子 /活动分子
- 活躍分子 /活跃分子 (huóyuè fènzǐ)one who is politically active
- 活動分子 /活动分子 (huódòng fènzǐ)one who is politically active
- 活動家 /活动家 (huódòngjiā)one who is politically active
- 積極分子 /积极分子 (jījí fènzǐ)one who is politically active
Czech aktivista, aktivistka
- aktivistaone who is politically active
- aktivistkaone who is politically active
Danish aktivist
- aktivistone who is politically active
Dutch activist, activiste
- activistone who is politically active
- activisteone who is politically active
Esperanto aktivulo
- aktivuloone who is politically active
Estonian aktivist
- aktivistone who is politically active
Finnish aktivisti
- aktivistione who is politically active
French militant, militante
- militantone who is politically active
- militanteone who is politically active
- activisteone who is politically active
German Aktivist, Aktivistin
- Aktivistone who is politically active
- Aktivistinone who is politically active
Greek ακτιβιστής
- ακτιβιστής (aktivistís)one who is politically active
Hebrew פָּעִיל, פְּעִילָה
- פָּעִיל (pa'íl)one who is politically active
- פְּעִילָה (pe'ilá)one who is politically active
Hindi कार्यकर्ता
- कार्यकर्ता (kāryakartā)one who is politically active
Hungarian aktivista
- aktivistaone who is politically active
Icelandic aðgerðasinni
- aðgerðasinnione who is politically active
Indonesian aktivis
- aktivisone who is politically active
Irish gníomhaí
- gníomhaíone who is politically active
Italian attivista
- attivistaone who is politically active
Japanese 活動家
- 活動家 (katsudōka)one who is politically active
Korean 활동가
- 활동가 (hwaldongga)one who is politically active
Māori kaiwhakatūtū, kiritohe
- kaiwhakatūtūone who is politically active
- kiritoheone who is politically active
Persian فعال
- فعال (fa'âl)one who is politically active
Polish aktywista, aktywistka
- aktywistaone who is politically active
- aktywistkaone who is politically active
- działaczone who is politically active
- działaczkaone who is politically active
Portuguese ativista
- ativistaone who is politically active
Romanian activist, activistă
- activistone who is politically active
- activistăone who is politically active
Russian активи́ст, активи́стка
- активи́ст (aktivíst)one who is politically active
- активи́стка (aktivístka)one who is politically active
Scottish Gaelic neach-dèanadais, iomairtiche
- neach-dèanadaisone who is politically active
- iomairticheone who is politically active
- neach-iomairtone who is politically active
Slovak aktivista, aktivistka
- aktivistaone who is politically active
- aktivistkaone who is politically active
Spanish activista
- activistaone who is politically active
Swahili mwanaharakati
- mwanaharakatione who is politically active
Swedish aktivist
- aktivistone who is politically active
Thai นักประท้วง
- นักประท้วง (nák-bprà-túuang)one who is politically active
Turkish eylemci, etkinci
- eylemcione who is politically active
- etkincione who is politically active
- aktivistone who is politically active
Ukrainian активі́ст, активі́стка
- активі́ст (aktyvíst)one who is politically active
- активі́стка (aktyvístka)one who is politically active
Vietnamese phần tử tích cực
- phần tử tích cựcone who is politically active
Welsh ymgyrchydd, ymgyrchwraig
- ymgyrchyddone who is politically active
- ymgyrchwraigone who is politically active
- ymgyrchwrone who is politically active
Yiddish אַקטיוויסט, אַקטיוויסטין
- אַקטיוויסט (aktivist)one who is politically active
- אַקטיוויסטין (aktivistin)one who is politically active
Cite this entry
APA
activist. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/activist
MLA
“activist.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/activist. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “activist,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/activist.
Source: activist on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.