What does "abolitionist" mean?
A person favoring or advocating for the abolition of any particular institution or practice.
Abolitionist
/ˌæ.bəˈlɪʃ.n̩.ɪst/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person favoring or advocating for the abolition of any particular institution or practice.
- Grammar: abolitionist is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: emancipationist, abolition advocate, abolition campaigner, anti slavery advocate.
- Useful contrasts: executioner, proslavery, proslavery advocate.
- Usage evidence: Of necessity, as well as of choice, I am a "Garrisonian" Abolitionist—the most unpopular appellation that any man can have applied to him, in the present state of public sentiment; yet, I am more than confident, destined ultimately to be honourably regarded by the wise and good.
How to use "abolitionist"
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Meaning check
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Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "abolitionist" in a final draft.
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Before you rely on this definition
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Definition decision workflow
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person favoring or advocating for the abolition of any particular institution or practice.
"Both feminist and religiously inspired abolitionists have long viewed, and continue to view, male demand for commercial sex as a root cause of prostitution."
- 2 a reformer who favors abolishing slavery wordnet
- 3 A person favoring or advocating for the abolition of any particular institution or practice.; A person favoring or advocating for the abolition of slavery. US, especially, historical
"Among other slave notabilities of the plantation, was one called by everybody Uncle Isaac Copper. It is seldom that a slave gets a surname from anybody in Maryland; and so completely has the south shaped the manners of the north, in this respect, that even abolitionists make very little of the surname of a negro."
Adjective
- 1 In favor of the abolition of any particular institution or practice.
- 2 In favor of the abolition of any particular institution or practice.; In favor of the abolition of slavery. historical
"This case, and others, drove and enlarged the existing abolitionist movement in the country, opposed, of course, by the merchants and plantation owners who were making a massive profit from the slaves held in various colonies."
Synonyms
All synonyms emancipationistabolition advocateabolition campaigneranti slavery advocateantislaveryantislavery activist
Antonyms
Example
"Of necessity, as well as of choice, I am a "Garrisonian" Abolitionist—the most unpopular appellation that any man can have applied to him, in the present state of public sentiment; yet, I am more than confident, destined ultimately to be honourably regarded by the wise and good."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "abolitionist"?
Common synonyms include: emancipationist, abolition advocate, abolition campaigner, anti slavery advocate, antislavery, antislavery activist.
How do you use "abolitionist" in a sentence?
Of necessity, as well as of choice, I am a "Garrisonian" Abolitionist—the most unpopular appellation that any man can have applied to him, in the present state of public sentiment; yet, I am more than confident, destined ultimately to be honourably regarded by the wise and good.
How do you pronounce "abolitionist"?
Pronounced /ˌæ.bəˈlɪʃ.n̩.ɪst/.
Etymology
First attested in 1788. abolition + -ist.