feminist

1 of 2

noun

plural feminists
Synonyms of feministnext
: a person who supports or engages in feminism
Similarly, Saint Thomas's resident nun, Sister Maureen (Ann Dowd), is no girlish cutie: She's an ardent, in-your-face feminist.Terrence Rafferty
He [Stendhal] was a feminist and … he held that to deprive women of education 'deprives society of half its potential for intellectual achievement'.V. S. Pritchett

feminist

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, supporting, or compatible with feminism
feminist theory
the feminist movement
The act of speaking is a way women come to power, telling our stories, sharing history, engaging in feminist discussion.bell hooks
[Patricia] Ireland, past president of the National Organization for Women, is perhaps the best-known former Pan Am flight attendant of the '60s; seven years working for the airline helped inspire her feminist activism, which included campaigning for the Equal Rights Amendment.Sarah Rose

Examples of feminist 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
Some people maybe familiar with the Miles Franklin novel, others with Gillian Armstrong’s 1979 film adaptation starring Judy Davis and the late Sam Neill, which has become something of an urtext for Australian New Wave cinema and feminist cinema. Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 1 Aug. 2026 There was more to Dean’s philosophy, including a nod to a famous Black feminist thinker. Chris Willman, Variety, 17 July 2026
Adjective
In her later years, Lessing distanced herself from the feminist movement and disavowed The Golden Notebook’s reputation as a feminist manifesto. Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 The feminist progress of the past half century has been met with a virulent backlash of misogyny. Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for feminist

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1887, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1852, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of feminist was in 1852

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Cite this Entry

“Feminist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminist. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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