capitalist
capitalist — noun
1. A person who supports the idea that businesses and land should belong to individ
A person who supports the idea that businesses and land should belong to individuals instead of the government, and that economic activity should be driven by the pursuit of profit.
Leila has always supported free markets and calls herself a capitalist.
reflexive: call oneself a capitalist
The debate between the socialist and the capitalist grew heated over dinner.
contrastive pairing: socialist vs capitalist
Many young business owners proudly call themselves capitalists who support private ownership.
At the town hall meeting, several capitalists spoke in favor of lower business taxes.
- free-marketeer
more specific — someone who wants minimal government involvement in the economy
- laissez-faire advocate
more formal and ideological, referring specifically to the principle of non-intervention
文法句型
a [adjective] capitalist
call oneself a capitalist
用法筆記
Frequently used in political or economic discussions to describe someone's view on how the economy should be run. Often paired with adjectives such as 'committed' or 'proud'.
常見錯誤
2. A person who puts large sums of personal wealth into business activities, intend
A person who puts large sums of personal wealth into business activities, intending to grow those investments and collect the earnings.
A wealthy capitalist bought the old factory and turned it into a tech hub.
collocation: wealthy capitalist + bought + turned into
The local capitalist agreed to fund the new school's science lab.
capitalist + agreed to fund + [project]
Several capitalists met with the mayor to discuss the new railway project.
Yara's grandfather was a well-known capitalist who built a shipping company from scratch.
The investor found a capitalist who believed in her idea and paid for the machines.
- investor
broader — anyone who puts money into something, not necessarily wealthy
- financier
more formal — someone who arranges large-scale funding, often behind the scenes
- tycoon
implies great wealth and power across an industry, less formal register
- industrialist
historical — specifically someone who owned factories or manufacturing plants
文法句型
a [adjective] capitalist
capitalist + verb: bought, funded, invested
用法筆記
Common in the compound term 'venture capitalist', which refers to someone who invests in early-stage companies. This sense focuses on the person's financial role, not their political views.
常見錯誤
capitalist — adjective
1. Describing an economic system or society in which private companies and individu
Describing an economic system or society in which private companies and individuals own property and businesses and run them to earn profits, rather than the state controlling everything.
The United States is often described as a capitalist economy.
collocation: capitalist economy
In her political science seminar, Aiko studied the difference between capitalist and socialist systems.
contrastive: capitalist vs socialist systems
The country's move toward a more capitalist model attracted foreign investors.
Critics of the current system point out problems in capitalist societies.
Under the new capitalist policies, several private hospitals opened across the country.
- free-market
more specific — emphasizes minimal government interference in the economy
- private-enterprise
focuses on business ownership rather than the full political system
- market-based
more neutral and technical; describes economies driven by supply and demand
文法句型
capitalist + noun: economy, society, system
用法筆記
Always describes systems, policies, economies, or societies — never individual objects or people. Distinguish from the noun senses, which refer to a person.