apologist

noun

apol·​o·​gist ə-ˈpä-lə-jist 

plural apologists

: someone who speaks or writes in defense of someone or something that is typically controversial, unpopular, or subject to criticism

… an apologist for moneyed interests.

—S. L. Price

Apologists argued that funneling contracts to his children did not matter too much since the projects—new roads, factories, airports—did get built.

—Johanna McGeary

Apologists for the status quo will always claim that if change were really needed, the market would have already made it happen.

—Michael Grunwald

Examples of apologist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The singer was an apologist for some of the world’s worst regimes. —John Fund, National Review, 30 Sep. 2024

These include apologists for slavery such as John Calhoun, progressive eugenicists such as Lothrop Stoddard, and white nationalist agitators such as William Pierce. —George Hawley, Foreign Affairs, 27 Oct. 2017

Despite some pleas from Trump apologists who still pony up cash to the organizations operating under the Koch umbrella, the leadership remains unbending in their decision to stay out of the presidential race altogether. —Philip Elliott, TIME, 5 Sep. 2024

These people, the anti-Islamists, are right now composing brilliant and lasting works of literature and philosophy -- but their achievements will never be recognized by Islamism's apologists in Western universities. —Paul Berman, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2010

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin apologista, from Late Latin apologia "defense in speech or writing" + New Latin -ista -ist entry 1 — more at apology

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

apologist

noun

apol·​o·​gist ə-ˈpäl-ə-jəst 

: one who speaks or writes in defense of a faith, cause, or institution