: an opponent of war
specifically : one who participates in antiwar demonstrations

Examples of peacenik in a Sentence

peaceniks argued that all the nonmilitary options had not been exhausted
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.
For Israel—where the country's once vibrant peacenik community has rapidly dissolved since Oct. 7—the killing of the Bibas boys is likely the nail in the coffin. Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 20 Feb. 2025 Burdick, a lifelong peacenik with a neat white beard, had moved to Saudi Arabia from Texas in the mid-nineties. Heidi Blake, The New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of peacenik was in 1962

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Peacenik.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peacenik. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!