as in pacifist
a person who opposes war or warlike policies
peaceniks argued that all the nonmilitary options had not been exhausted
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Recent Examples of peacenik
Generations of peacenik Americans first saw Bread and Puppet Theater during anti-war protests.
—
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
6 Oct. 2025
Burdick, a lifelong peacenik with a neat white beard, had moved to Saudi Arabia from Texas in the mid-nineties.
—
Heidi Blake,
The New Yorker,
10 Oct. 2024
Kelly is in almost immediately, flying to Cocoa Beach in Florida with her not-so-enthusiastic assistant, an anti-Nixon peacenik.
—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
8 July 2024
At this point, John Lennon is either a peacenik saint or a wife-beating villain in the eyes of most.
—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2024
This Einstein is a fervent peacenik who saw in Nazi Germany an existential threat to peace everywhere, and to Jewish people in particular.
—
Chris Vognar,
Rolling Stone,
17 Feb. 2024
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
6 Oct. 2025
Burdick, a lifelong peacenik with a neat white beard, had moved to Saudi Arabia from Texas in the mid-nineties.
—
Heidi Blake,
The New Yorker,
10 Oct. 2024
Kelly is in almost immediately, flying to Cocoa Beach in Florida with her not-so-enthusiastic assistant, an anti-Nixon peacenik.
—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
8 July 2024
At this point, John Lennon is either a peacenik saint or a wife-beating villain in the eyes of most.
—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2024
This Einstein is a fervent peacenik who saw in Nazi Germany an existential threat to peace everywhere, and to Jewish people in particular.
—
Chris Vognar,
Rolling Stone,
17 Feb. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for peacenik
pacifist
Noun
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His father, Kenneth, was a pacifist and a conscientious objector in World War II, which made the family somewhat outcast in its small hometown.
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However, it was criticized by pacifists at home and China for deviating from Japan’s postwar self-defense only principle.
Cite this Entry
“Peacenik.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peacenik. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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