environmentalism
noun
en·vi·ron·men·tal·ism
in-ˌvī-rə(n)-ˈmen-tə-ˌli-zəm
-ˌvī(-ə)r(n)-
1
: a political and social movement focused on the preservation, restoration, and improvement of the natural environment
I urge the community to renew our commitment to environmentalism by focusing on the defining issue of our generation: global warming.—Dan Wolk
She had embraced environmentalism as a college student, then worked with various NGOs to reduce China's air and water pollution …—Lin Yang
Here in the heavy industry heartland of Colombia, environmentalism has old roots and has endured through decades of violence and intimidation.—Fatima Garcia Elena
2
dated
: a theory that views environment rather than heredity as the important factor in the development and especially the cultural and intellectual development of an individual or group
… an extreme environmentalism developed in psychology and anthropology which minimized, if not denied altogether, any genetic contribution to the differences among human individuals.—Ernst Mayr
Cite this Entry
“Environmentalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/environmentalism. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.
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