reformer

noun

re·​form·​er ri-ˈfȯr-mər How to pronounce reformer (audio)
1
: one that works for or urges reform
2
capitalized : a leader of the Protestant Reformation
3
: an apparatus for cracking oils or gases to form specialized products

Examples of reformer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Another highlight is the Jacob A. Riis Museum, dedicated to the Danish-American journalist and social reformer who was born in Ribe. David Nikel, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025 Heartland Alliance was founded in the 19th century as Travelers and Immigrants Aid by famous reformer Jane Addams. Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025 Wells was a former theology student and social worker who became convinced that reform efforts would go much further if reformers were public officers with proper police credentials. Peter Zablocki, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Mar. 2025 By the 1970s, inured in the culture of the moment, progressive reformers were driven to do something in Baltimore and across America that many of their peers would have considered anathema a decade earlier: rein in the authority of the purportedly wise men running powerful institutions. Marc J. Dunkelman, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reformer

Word History

First Known Use

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reformer was in 1526

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Cite this Entry

“Reformer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reformer. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

reformer

noun
re·​form·​er ri-ˈfȯr-mər How to pronounce reformer (audio)
: one that works for reform

More from Merriam-Webster on reformer

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