en·vi·ron·men·tal·ist
in-ˌvī-rə(n)-ˈmen-tə-ləst
-ˌvī(-ə)r(n)-
plural environmentalists
: an advocate of environmentalism : a person who is focused on the preservation, restoration, and improvement of the natural environment
While dams have been touted in the name of water conservation and clean, renewable energy, environmentalists have long challenged the claim that dams are "green" technology. The deleterious ecological impacts of dams, they insist, have been profound.—Patrick Joseph
Meanwhile, environmentalists have responded that climate change and habitat loss due to development should require builders to think even more carefully about their projects.—Emma Cotton et al.
: of, relating to, or supporting environmentalism
Rachel Carson's Silent Spring is widely recognized as the founding document of the environmentalist movement.—James McWilliams
I was there during the Global Climate Action Summit, a convergence of world leaders, politicians, and environmentalist bigwigs determined to compensate for Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.—Ash Sanders
In particular, economic shocks … may have implications for the way people think about climate change and the extent to which they are willing to vote for parties that are more environmentalist.—Charlotte Bez et al.
Cite this Entry
“Environmentalist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/environmentalist. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
