noun
- people who supported the complete elimination of slavery, especially in the United States before the Civil War
- people who advocate for the complete elimination of a practice, institution, or system
Usage: historical
Usage: general use
Examples
- The abolitionists worked tirelessly to end slavery in America.
- Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman were famous abolitionists.
- Many abolitionists used the Underground Railroad to help enslaved people escape.
- The abolitionists published newspapers to spread their anti-slavery message.
- Modern abolitionists campaign against human trafficking worldwide.
- Prison abolitionists argue for alternatives to incarceration.
- The abolitionists faced violent opposition from pro-slavery groups.