1. a person who advocates for or participates in a counterreformation, especially the Catholic Church's reform movement in response to the Protestant Reformation
Usage: often capitalized when referring to the historical Counter-Reformation; historical
2. a person who opposes or resists a reform movement
Usage: general use

Examples

• The counterreformers of the 16th century sought to strengthen Catholic doctrine and practice.
• Cardinal Bellarmine was a prominent counterreformer who defended Church teachings against Protestant criticism.
• Some counterreformers believed that internal Church reform was necessary to address corruption.
• The Council of Trent brought together many influential counterreformers to establish new ecclesiastical standards.
• Modern counterreformers sometimes resist progressive changes in their institutions.