reformer

noun

re·​form·​er ri-ˈfȯr-mər How to pronounce reformer (audio)
1
: one that works for or urges reform
2
capitalized : a leader of the Protestant Reformation
3
: an apparatus for cracking oils or gases to form specialized products

Examples of reformer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The death of Pope Francis, 88, a humble reformer who sought to make the Catholic Church more inclusive, marks the end of an era for the Catholic Church, and sets in motion one of the most arcane, storied and secretive events in human history: the election of a new pope. Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025 Tonge reveals the complex religious dynamics that lie behind the AKP’s hold on political power and the deep, immensely varied religious commitments that survived attempts by twentieth-century reformers to separate religion and politics. Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025 Behind that smile, though, was a determined reformer. John Blake, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2025 Starting more than a century ago, reformers looked to scale up schools, inventing institutions like the comprehensive high school to centralize student populations and broaden the offerings available to them. Michael McShane, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reformer

Word History

First Known Use

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reformer was in 1526

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reformer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reformer. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

reformer

noun
re·​form·​er ri-ˈfȯr-mər How to pronounce reformer (audio)
: one that works for reform

More from Merriam-Webster on reformer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!