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Word

communist

noun C1
UK /ˈkɒm.jʊ.nɪst/
US /ˈkɑ.mjə.nɪst/

Meanings

noun

a person who supports or belongs to a movement or party that promotes communism

communist: a person who supports or belongs to a movement or party that promotes communism

Definition

A communist is a person who supports communism, a political and economic system based on common ownership and a classless society.

A communist is someone who believes in or supports communism. In general terms, communism aims for shared ownership of major resources and an end to social classes. The word is often used in discussions of ideology, political parties, and historical movements, and it can be used descriptively or as a label in debate.

Examples

  • My grandfather described himself as a communist in his student years, though his views later became more moderate.
  • She interviewed a communist leader for her documentary and challenged him on policy details rather than slogans.
  • They dismissed him as a communist without addressing his actual arguments about workplace conditions.
  • I read a biography of a communist organizer to understand how the movement operated on the ground.

Common mistake

Learners sometimes use communist to mean any left-wing person, but it specifically refers to someone who supports communism.