as in rebel
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
a firebrand who urged crowds to riot during the blackouts
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Recent Examples of firebrand
That includes collaborations in-the-round with Denver’s Nathaniel Rateliff and DeVotchKa, as well as indie firebrands The Flaming Lips, in addition to standard orchestral fare and familiar classical-crossover acts such as Andrea Bocelli and Lindsey Stirling.
—
John Wenzel, Denver Post, 23 Sep. 2025
The memorial service for Kirk, whom Trump credits with playing a pivotal role in his 2024 election victory, drew tens of thousands of mourners, including Vice President JD Vance, other senior administration officials and young conservatives shaped by the 31-year-old firebrand.
—Jane Tyska, Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2025
The memorial service for Kirk, whom Trump credits with playing a pivotal role in his 2024 election victory, is expected to draw tens of thousands of mourners, including Vice President JD Vance, senior White House officials and young conservatives shaped by the 31-year-old firebrand.
—Aamer Madhani, Fortune, 21 Sep. 2025
That could be a problem in the GOP primary, particularly with residents who are used to Roy’s ability to weave in and out of being a conservative-libertarian firebrand and an intellectual devoted to the movement’s ideas and principles.
—Taylor Millard, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for firebrand
John Wenzel, Denver Post, 23 Sep. 2025
The memorial service for Kirk, whom Trump credits with playing a pivotal role in his 2024 election victory, drew tens of thousands of mourners, including Vice President JD Vance, other senior administration officials and young conservatives shaped by the 31-year-old firebrand.
—Jane Tyska, Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2025
The memorial service for Kirk, whom Trump credits with playing a pivotal role in his 2024 election victory, is expected to draw tens of thousands of mourners, including Vice President JD Vance, senior White House officials and young conservatives shaped by the 31-year-old firebrand.
—Aamer Madhani, Fortune, 21 Sep. 2025
That could be a problem in the GOP primary, particularly with residents who are used to Roy’s ability to weave in and out of being a conservative-libertarian firebrand and an intellectual devoted to the movement’s ideas and principles.
—Taylor Millard, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for firebrand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firebrand
Noun
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Hegseth likened the Colombian rebel group to the Al Qaeda terror group founded by Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
19 Oct. 2025
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The Moscow meeting was remarkable given that Russia is harboring Syria’s former president, Bashar al-Assad, whose government was overthrown by rebels led by al-Sharaa.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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While the dye likely won’t affect the metal components, the plastic agitator, drum, rim, and seal in your machine may no longer be white.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
18 Oct. 2025
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And while some have crossed the line from peaceful protesters to violent agitators, violence already has ample legal remedies under state and federal law.—
Jason M. Blazakis,
Mercury News,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Simonds is a proponent of patterned wallpaper, statement lighting, colorful tile, and more.—
Amanda Sims,
Architectural Digest,
21 Oct. 2025
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Now Guillermo del Toro — cinema’s biggest proponent of big-screen fantasy — has completed his two-and-a-half-hour version, an epic adaptation with a blockbuster budget, a stamp of auteurship, and decades spent ruminating on the relevance of Shelley’s text in the modern era.—
Rory Doherty,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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America seems unlikely to be made great again by the demagogues of white nationalism, who cannot help but channel fury over irreversible decline at those who have been working hard, through either literal or spiritual immigration, to become American.—
Pankaj Mishra,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
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Our shrinking attention span has left us vulnerable to demagogues and misinformation from every direction.—
Doug McIntyre,
Oc Register,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Many of the president’s supporters have backed his moves to combat drug trade in the region, however, some Republicans, including Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, as well as many Democrats, have expressed concern over the president’s unilateral decisions.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
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America’s farmers are among the president’s most dependable supporters.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In the article, Roufus criticized promoters who were focused on profits and lacked the experience to safely sponsor fights.—
Cleo Krejci,
jsonline.com,
18 Oct. 2025
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As promoters hit him up to bring Experts Only from Los Angeles to Japan, the final goal of his new empire is to throw parties without even playing at them.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The best challenger brands think like cultural insurgents.—
Erik Huberman,
Rolling Stone,
10 Oct. 2025
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Islamist insurgents have since May attacked Malian and foreign-owned businesses, including cement factories, sugar factories, and mines.—
Preeti Jha,
semafor.com,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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What are my rights as a protester in California?—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
15 Oct. 2025
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At least one protester filed a complaint against Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, saying an officer hit her in the throat with a bike handle and police refused to give her his name.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Firebrand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firebrand. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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