English · Word Candidate

leftist

/ˈlɛf.tɪst/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: leftists

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A person who holds views associated with the political left.

Noun

Examples

The first major clash between the two groups occurred in Shih-ho-tzu on January 26, 1967, with the leftists admitting they had suffered a bloody defeat.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Someone who holds socialist or communist-leaning economic views, usually alongside progressive social views; an anticapitalist.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

Of or pertaining to the political left.

Adjective

Examples

In law school, when we students thought the outcome of a case was determined by a rule we had studied, leftist professors admonished us, “Tools not rules!” In other words, rules control nothing; they’re merely tools you manipulate for the results you want. The fancy word for this kind of amorality i

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “leftist” mean?

A person who holds views associated with the political left.

Is “leftist” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.