What does utopist mean?
An utopist is someone who believes in or promotes an ideal society, especially one that is impossible or extremely difficult to realize. The word can also describe a person whose political, social, or personal ambitions are considered unrealistic. It is often mildly critical, suggesting that the person is guided by an attractive but impractical vision of how the world ought to be. In neutral or historical contexts, however, it can identify a reformer or social theorist whose ideas were influential despite being utopian in scale. Utopist is related to utopia, a term derived from Greek for “no place,” and to the adjective utopian. Because the word emphasizes the pursuit of a perfect or unattainable condition, it is commonly applied to political visionaries, idealists, and writers whose work presents sweeping alternatives to contemporary society. It is especially useful when a speaker wants to acknowledge both the force of a person's ideals and the doubts about their feasibility.
nounA person who believes in or advocates an ideal society that may be impossible or unrealistically perfect. The term can also refer to someone whose hopes or plans are considered impractical.
- A person who believes in or advocates an ideal, especially an impossible or unrealistically perfect society.
"The young utopist proposed a society in which every community would share its resources equally."
"The utopist believed that careful planning could eliminate poverty and war."
"Critics regarded her political program as the work of an impractical utopist."
The regular plural is used when referring to multiple people who advocate utopian ideals.
"Several utopists challenged the assumptions of the prevailing economic system."
An utopist may be dismissed as a dreamer, but the word traces its roots to Thomas More's name for an ideal place: no place.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of utopist
Utopist is formed from utopia plus the suffix -ist, meaning a person who follows or supports a particular doctrine. Utopia was popularized by Thomas More in the early 16th century and was derived through Latin from Greek outopos, literally “no place,” expressing the idea of an ideal but unrealized society. The related terms utopian and utopianism developed from the same root and refer to the ideal condition or the broader tradition of utopian thought.
How utopist is actually used
The word is formal in register and often carries the connotation that the person's ideals are unrealistic or impractical. It is sometimes used more broadly for a visionary whose proposals are difficult to achieve.
Easily confused with utopist
An utopist is a person who advocates an ideal or utopian society, whereas utopian is primarily an adjective describing an ideal or imaginary state and can also be used as a noun for someone who holds such hopes.