pop·u·list
ˈpä-pyə-list
plural populists
1
a
: a supporter of populism : a participant in or advocate of a populist movement
… ran as a fiery populist, criticizing Wall Street banks and bailouts.—Bill Allison
… a leftist populist won the presidency with widespread support from the country's working class on his promise to put the poor first.—Kate Linthicum
… faces the added challenge of positioning himself as a conservative populist—a skeptic of corporations inside a party often allied with them …—Kristina Karisch and Alexis Simendinger
b
: a member of a political party claiming to represent ordinary people against the Establishment (see establishment sense 2a)
especially,
often Populist plural Populists
: a member of a U.S. political party formed in 1891 primarily to represent agrarian interests and to call for the free coinage of silver and government control of monopolies
2
: a believer in the rights, wisdom, or virtues of the common people
… civic populists like Andrew Carnegie, who built hundreds of libraries in small towns, and Bill Gates, whose foundation ministers to global masses.—Christopher Glazek
1
: of, relating to, or characterized by populism (see populism sense 1) or political populists (see populist entry 1 sense 1b)
Campaign finance reform is usually sold as a populist means to strengthen the power of "ordinary" citizens against dominant, big-money interests.—Anthony Corrado
Historically, populist movements use the rhetoric of class solidarity to seize political power so that "the people" can exercise it for their common benefit.—Mark Lill
… populist reluctance to devote public resources drawn from all to the benefit of a few.—Carolyn Lougee
… blue-collar, downscale voters who are economically populist and socially moderate.—Jonathan Chait
specifically,
often Populist
: of or relating to the Populist (see populist entry 1 sense 1b) political party formed in 1891
American mistrust of big business dates back to the Populist movement at the turn of the century, when the nation's key antitrust laws were adopted. —Kathryn Harris
… in 1896 ran … on the Populist ticket … —Alan Blinder
2
: appealing to most people : having qualities that people tend to like and understand : popular
This wine is a blend of traditional Portuguese grapes. … It's as polished as the most aristocratic red Bordeaux, but the price is more populist at $17.—Matt Kramer
He is a populist gourmet. … More arugula, please. But let me have some fries with that.—A. O. Scott
Cite this Entry
“Populist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/populist. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share