An apologist is a person who argues in favor of something unpopular. If you're an apologist for deep sea oil drilling, you would argue that drilling in the ocean is necessary and the benefits make up for any environmental damage.
- Pronunciation: /ə'pɒlədʒɪst/
- English description: a person who argues to defend or justify some policy or institution
- Synonyms: justifier
- Chinese Translation: 辩护者(bian4 hu4 zhe3)
- Spanish Translation: defensor(ora) (m)
- ORIGIN: Apologists tend to be seen in a negative light, as defensive people who make excuses. The word apologist comes from the Greek word apologia, meaning "speaking in defense." Not all apologists are bad news; some just defend an unpopular idea. Even though apologist is similar to apology, don't confuse them — if you make an apology you're admitting to being wrong. But if you're an apologist, you justify your belief or action, and would do it all again!
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
- He wrote the foreword for a book by a Confederate apologist and 9/11 conspiracy theorist.
- This suggested law, gun-industry apologists say, would not have prevented that shooting.
*New word description, story and part of "EXAMPLE SENTENCE" are cited in Vocabulary.com