anarchist

noun

an·​ar·​chist ˈa-nər-kist How to pronounce anarchist (audio)
-ˌnär-
Synonyms of anarchist
1
: a person who rebels against any authority, established order, or ruling power
2
: a person who believes in, advocates, or promotes anarchism or anarchy
especially : one who uses violent means to overthrow the established order
anarchist adjective
or anarchistic
ˌa-nər-ˈki-stik How to pronounce anarchist (audio)
-(ˌ)när-

Examples of anarchist 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.
At the time, several hundred thousand unions, socialists, anarchists and reformers took to the streets to advocate for the eight-hour workday. — Preston Mizell, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026 Trump has long invoked the term against a range of political opponents, including peaceful protesters without anarchist-leanings. — ABC News, 16 June 2026 At the same time, Pratchett was not an anarchist—Vimes is a policeman, which is depicted as a heroic profession—or an identitarian. — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 24 May 2026 Through thoughtful letters from prison, an anarchist incarcerated since 1980 reflects on his radical past. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for anarchist

Word History

Etymology

anarchy + -ist entry 1; as a proponent of a political theory after French anarchiste.

Note: The use of the French words anarchisme and anarchiste in reference to political theory are associated with Pierre-Joseph proudhon. In his first major work, Qu'est-ce que la propriété? Recherche sur le principe du droit et du gouvernement (Paris, 1840), Proudhon used anarchiste (p.229), but not anarchisme.

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of anarchist was in 1646

Browse Nearby Words

anarchism
anarchist
anarcho-syndicalism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Anarchist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anarchist. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

anarchist

noun
an·​ar·​chist ˈan-ər-kəst How to pronounce anarchist (audio)
-ˌär-
: a person who believes in anarchism or anarchy or practices anarchy
anarchist adjective
or anarchistic
ˌan-ər-ˈkis-tik How to pronounce anarchist (audio)
-(ˌ)är-

More from Merriam-Webster on anarchist

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for anarchist

Nglish: Translation of anarchist for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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