Word
imperialist
Phoneticsim·pe·ri·al·ist, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪmˈpɪɹiəɫɪst/
UK/ɪmpˈiəɹɪəlˌɪst/
Definitions
01a supporter of empire
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Academic · Formal
n. a person who believes their country should take control of other countries to gain power and wealth.
n. an advocate or practitioner of imperialism; one who supports the policy of extending a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political hegemony.
“The protesters marched against the imperialist who wanted to expand the colony.”
“Historians often debate whether the minister was a true imperialist or simply a pragmatist seeking to secure trade routes for the merchant navy.”
Usage
Often used pejoratively in modern political discourse to criticise foreign intervention.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02relating to imperialism
C1 · Advanced Academic · Formal
adj. describing a policy or action where a powerful country tries to control others.
adj. relating to, or characteristic of imperialism or imperialists; often used to describe foreign policies perceived as exploitative or expansionist.
“Many people criticised the country's imperialist goals in the region.”
“The treaty was seen by local leaders as an imperialist tool designed to extract natural resources without providing fair compensation.”
Synonyms
03historical Japanese official
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic · Technical
n. a person who worked for the Empire of Japan in the past.
n. an agent, official, or soldier acting on behalf of the Empire of Japan, particularly during the early to mid-20th century.
“The old documents mentioned an imperialist who managed the local port.”
“The memoir details the complex relationship between the local population and the imperialist administrators during the occupation period.”
Usage
This specific historical sense is rarely used outside of academic texts concerning East Asian history.
Real-World Examples
“In her broadcast, Rodríguez, the daughter of a Marxist guerrilla who spent years denouncing “imperialist” attempts to snatch her country’s oil reserves, countered claims she was surrendering Venezuela’s natural resources to a foreign power.” “And Denis Gailor similarly suggests that “Wells is explicitly concerned with the English, as the biggest imperialists of the day.” Etymology
From imperial + -ist, after French impérialiste.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/imperialist