Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who advocates the removal of social distinctions: A "leveller" is someone who promotes the idea of eliminating class hierarchies and social inequalities, aiming for a more egalitarian society.
   • Something that makes things equal or uniform: In a more general sense, a "leveller" can refer to any force, event, or principle that reduces differences and creates a state of equality.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Person):

  • The political activist was known as a leveller, arguing passionately for the abolition of all aristocratic privileges.
  • Historically, the Levellers were a 17th-century English group advocating for popular sovereignty and extended suffrage.

• Noun (Thing/Force):

  • Death is often called the great leveller, as it comes to everyone regardless of wealth or status.
  • The economic crisis acted as a leveller, affecting both the rich and the poor, though to different degrees.

Advanced Usage

• "The great leveller": A common idiom referring to something (like death, disease, or a major disaster) that is thought to make all people equal by affecting everyone similarly.
  • In his speech, he described poverty as the great leveller in that society.

Variants and Related Words

• Level (verb): To make something flat, even, or equal.
  • The builder will level the ground before laying the foundation.
• Leveling (noun, gerund): The process of making things equal or flat.
  • The leveling of the playing field allowed for fairer competition.
• Egalitarian (noun/adjective): A person who believes in the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities. (This is a close synonym for the social sense of "leveller").
  • She was a true egalitarian, fighting for justice for all.

Synonyms

• Egalitarian: A believer in human equality.
• Equalizer: Something that makes things equal. (Note: "Equalizer" is more commonly used for the general "thing/force" meaning in modern English).
• Reformer: A person who advocates for change, especially in social or political systems.

Related Phrases

• Level the playing field: An idiom meaning to create a situation where everyone has the same opportunities.
  • The new scholarship program aims to level the playing field for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Related Idioms

• (To be) a great leveller: As mentioned in Advanced Usage, this idiom personifies a force or circumstance as making all people equal.
  • The pandemic was a stark reminder that illness can be a great leveller.

Noun

1. a radical who advocates the abolition of social distinctions