# communist

/ˈkɑmjənəst/ (US) · /kˈɒmjuːnˌɪst/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/communist
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. supporter of the ideology

noun · CEFR B2

someone who believes that all property should be owned by the community and shared equally.

For teachers: an advocate of a social and economic system based on the common ownership of the means of production.

- The young student became a communist after reading books about social equality.
- As a committed communist, he spent his weekends distributing pamphlets that argued for the total abolition of private property.

### 2. party member

noun · CEFR B2

a member of a political group called the Communist Party.

For teachers: a formal member of a political party that officially espouses the principles of communism.

- In some countries, you must be a communist to hold a high position in the government.
- The local communist official was responsible for overseeing the distribution of resources within the industrial district.

### 3. relating to communism

adjective · CEFR B2

describing something that follows or relates to the ideas of communism.

For teachers: relating to, advocating, or characteristic of communism or a Communist Party.

- The country underwent a communist revolution that changed its entire economy.
- The historian analyzed the impact of communist doctrine on the development of twentieth-century labor unions in Western Europe.

### 4. radical or subversive

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a word sometimes used to describe any person who wants to make big, radical changes to society.

For teachers: a term used, often pejoratively or loosely, to describe any revolutionary or subversive radical regardless of their specific ideology.

- During the protests, some people called the activists communists just because they wanted change.
- In the heated political climate of the 1950s, any individual who questioned the status quo risked being labeled a communist by their detractors.

Teaching tip: This sense is often used as an insult or a broad label for anyone with left-wing views; learners should be aware of its biased nature in political speech.

## Examples

- He became a Communist during his years at university.
- The local Communist organized a series of rallies to protest the privatization of the city's water supply.
- While the philosopher identified as a Communist in theory, he remained deeply critical of the authoritarian methods employed by the ruling party during the mid-twentieth century.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.