as in writers
a person who writes a newspaper or magazine column
The columnist is known to take provocative positions that often shape the opinions of her readers. a gossip columnist
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Recent Examples of columnists
The columnists argue that voters want a governor focused on state-level problem-solving rather than someone using the office as a platform for national positioning or raising their profile through constant partisan confrontation.
—
Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Last year, Bezos later shifted the strategy of the opinion pages, leading to an exodus of editors and columnists.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 7 Feb. 2026
Football fans and columnists point out the importance of club DNA and traditions with Barcelona and Ajax, but those are two clubs attempting to work to a much clearer set of principles refined by Johan Cruyff.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
The editorial page editor resigned and numerous columnists and reporters departed for other publications.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 30 Jan. 2026
Columns & Newsletters Ongoing commentary from our roster of columnists who interpret the ideas shaping the moment.
—Daphne Koller, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Some of these new contributors are Free Press columnists.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
The four prominent columnists who only resigned from the Jewish Chronicle after it was caught publishing fabrications might always be remembered as shills for a genocidal regime.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
In these essays, our columnists follow their curiosity, and explore important but not necessarily answerable scientific questions.
—Quanta Magazine, 26 Jan. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Last year, Bezos later shifted the strategy of the opinion pages, leading to an exodus of editors and columnists.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 7 Feb. 2026
Football fans and columnists point out the importance of club DNA and traditions with Barcelona and Ajax, but those are two clubs attempting to work to a much clearer set of principles refined by Johan Cruyff.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
The editorial page editor resigned and numerous columnists and reporters departed for other publications.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 30 Jan. 2026
Columns & Newsletters Ongoing commentary from our roster of columnists who interpret the ideas shaping the moment.
—Daphne Koller, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Some of these new contributors are Free Press columnists.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
The four prominent columnists who only resigned from the Jewish Chronicle after it was caught publishing fabrications might always be remembered as shills for a genocidal regime.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
In these essays, our columnists follow their curiosity, and explore important but not necessarily answerable scientific questions.
—Quanta Magazine, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for columnists
Noun
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Microsoft recently released a list of the 40 jobs most vulnerable to AI, with translators, sales reps, historians, and writers deemed some of the most affected occupations by generative AI.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
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This is not your usual best-of list, where food writers fly in for a whirlwind weekend of eating and drinking, often relying on the institutional knowledge of the locals who know the scene best.—
Liz Johnson,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The authors speculated that the changes, which lasted for another four weeks after the individuals stopped playing, were partly due to the three-dimensional environment of Super Mario.—
Amanda Gardner,
Martha Stewart,
8 Feb. 2026
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The law’s authors pointed to research showing that the teenage brain is vastly different from an adult’s.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Nanos told reporters that everyone who has recently been in contact with Nancy is a suspect.—
Michael Sinkewicz , Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Los Angeles Times reporters do not participate in voting for awards.—
Gary Klein,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Many ex-Apple Daily journalists have since left Hong Kong.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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Within a year, some of Apple Daily's senior journalists also were arrested and the newspaper shut down in June 2021.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Columnists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/columnists. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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