abolitionist

1 of 2

noun

ab·​o·​li·​tion·​ist ˌa-bə-ˈli-shə-nist How to pronounce abolitionist (audio)
plural abolitionists
: a person who wants to stop or abolish slavery : an advocate of abolition
Before going to England I had had no proper conception of the deep interest displayed by the abolitionists of England in the cause of freedom, nor did I realize the amount of substantial help given by them.Booker T. Washington
On the spectrum of abhorrent business practices, buying and selling humans, especially children, remains the gold standard. Yet modern abolitionists say it happens all the time.Belinda Luscombe
While with him at an antislavery convention in London, which shocked her by barring women as delegates, she found her ideal model in another delegate, Lucretia Mott, the noted Quaker abolitionist and feminist.Milton Rugoff

abolitionist

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or supporting abolitionists or abolitionism : advocating the end of slavery
abolitionist writings
… the virulence of public reaction to antislavery activity in the East appears to have been a reason for the deployment of abolitionist resources and energies into the Middle West.Marilynne Robinson
… he was genuinely concerned with the poor, and an aggressive supporter of abolitionist causes and women's education.Jesse Sheidlower

Examples of abolitionist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
So argued abolitionists, for whom Cleopatra was a Black Egyptian or a Nubian, the epitome of an ancient civilization older than Greece or Rome. Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 6 Dec. 2024 Few today would include Rankin in a list of notable abolitionists. TIME, 2 Dec. 2024
Adjective
It was all meant to honor the spirit of the homeless camps, which, after George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis, had adopted an abolitionist outlook. Wes Enzinna, Harper’s Magazine , 5 Jan. 2023 David Livingstone was an abolitionist missionary famed for his explorations through Africa. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2022 See all Example Sentences for abolitionist 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1791, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of abolitionist was in 1791

Dictionary Entries Near abolitionist

Cite this Entry

“Abolitionist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abolitionist. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

abolitionist

noun
ab·​o·​li·​tion·​ist
ab-ə-ˈlish-(ə-)nəst
: a person who is in favor of abolishing especially slavery
abolitionism
-ˈlish-ə-ˌniz-əm
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on abolitionist

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!