anti-communist: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low to Medium (context-dependent)Formal, political, historical, journalistic
Quick answer
What does “anti-communist” mean?
Opposed to communism or communist ideology, parties, or governments.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Opposed to communism or communist ideology, parties, or governments.
Characterizing a person, movement, policy, or set of ideas that actively opposes, critiques, or seeks to contain the spread of communism. Often used historically to describe Cold War-era politics, rhetoric, and alliances.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling identical. Usage slightly more frequent in American political discourse due to the prominence of anti-communism in US 20th-century foreign and domestic policy (e.g., McCarthyism). In the UK, the term is also common but may be used more in historical analysis of Cold War Europe.
Connotations
Both: Can carry connotations of staunch ideological opposition, containment, and national security. In some contexts, may imply paranoia or reactionary politics (e.g., 'witch-hunts').
Frequency
Higher frequency in American English in political/historical texts. In both varieties, current usage is lower than during the Cold War peak.
Grammar
How to Use “anti-communist” in a Sentence
[be] anti-communist[describe/portray/label] someone as (an) anti-communistan anti-communist [noun: movement, leader, ideology]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “anti-communist” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The government sought to anti-communise its foreign policy. (rare, derived)
American English
- The senator was accused of trying to anti-communize the committee. (rare, derived)
adverb
British English
- The group argued anti-communistically against the proposal. (very rare)
American English
- He spoke anti-communistically at the hearing. (very rare)
adjective
British English
- The paper published a series of anti-communist articles.
- He held strong anti-communist views.
American English
- The administration pursued an anti-communist foreign policy.
- It was an anti-communist rally.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in historical analysis of trade embargoes or Cold War-era international markets.
Academic
Common in political science, history, and sociology texts discussing 20th-century ideology, Cold War studies, and political movements.
Everyday
Low frequency. Used when discussing history, politics, or family background related to Cold War events.
Technical
Specific to political/historical discourse; not used in STEM fields.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “anti-communist”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “anti-communist”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “anti-communist”
- Misspelling as 'anticommunist' (acceptable but less standard) or 'anti-communist' (preferred). Confusing it with 'anti-capitalist'. Using it anachronistically for general criticism of socialist policies.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the standard form uses a hyphen: anti-communist. The closed form 'anticommunist' is also seen, especially in historical texts, but the hyphenated form is more common in modern usage.
Yes. As a noun: 'He was a lifelong anti-communist.' As an adjective: 'They adopted an anti-communist policy.'
Its frequency has declined since the end of the Cold War. It is now used primarily in historical, political, or academic contexts to describe past ideologies and policies, or in reference to remaining communist states like North Korea.
While related, 'anti-communist' specifically targets the ideology and system of communism (often associated with Marxist-Leninist states). 'Anti-socialist' is broader, opposing socialist principles which can range from democratic socialism to more state-controlled models. In historical Cold War context, 'anti-communist' was the dominant term.
Opposed to communism or communist ideology, parties, or governments.
Anti-communist is usually formal, political, historical, journalistic in register.
Anti-communist: in British English it is pronounced /ˌæn.tiˈkɒm.jə.nɪst/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌæn.taɪˈkɑː.mjə.nɪst/ or /ˌæn.t̬i-/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[To be] on an anti-communist crusade”
- “The anti-communist witch hunt (referencing McCarthyism)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'ANTI-COMMunist' – someone who is AGAINST (anti) the COMMon ownership of property advocated by COMMunism.
Conceptual Metaphor
OPPOSITION IS WAR / CONTAINMENT ('crusade', 'fight against communism', 'containment policy').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'anti-communist' MOST historically relevant?