Meaning & use

nationalist

noun·Academic

A person who strongly supports the interests, culture, or independence of their own nation, sometimes to the point of viewing it as superior to others.

See it in a sentence

The nationalist movement pushed for the country's independence from colonial rule.

Nationalist parties gained support by promising to protect local jobs and traditions.

A note on using this word

Can be neutral, describing pride in national identity, or critical, implying excessive or exclusionary devotion to one's nation.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

internationalist

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