1. people who support or advocate for the policy of expanding a country's territory or influence
Usage: political term; plural form

Examples

• The expansionists in Congress pushed for acquiring new territories in the Pacific.
• Many 19th-century American expansionists believed in Manifest Destiny.
• The expansionists argued that territorial growth would strengthen the economy.
• Critics accused the expansionists of promoting unnecessary military conflicts.
• European expansionists competed for colonies in Africa during the scramble for territory.
• The expansionists faced opposition from those who preferred diplomatic solutions.