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firebrand

noun

ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌbrand How to pronounce firebrand (audio)
Definition of firebrandnext
as in rebel
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent a firebrand who urged crowds to riot during the blackouts

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of firebrand In a moment when voters increasingly reward populist firebrands, Becerra presents as calm, workmanlike, and maybe a little boring. — Ben Paviour august 17, Sacbee.com, 17 Aug. 2026 If the conservative base continues to demand ideological purity, pushing polarizing firebrands into a general election, the result will always be an immediate, lopsided blowout. — Dain Fitzgerald, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2026 The speech that followed created the perception of her as a firebrand, but those who have followed her career closely have found a more circumspect figure. — Tom Kludt, Vanity Fair, 17 July 2026 Widdecombe’s death has shaken British politics, silencing a longtime conservative voice from Parliament and Europe who later became a Reform UK firebrand remembered by friends for personal warmth and sharp humor. — Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for firebrand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firebrand
  1. rebel
  2. agitator
  3. proponent
  4. demagogue
  5. supporter
  6. promoter
  7. insurgent
  8. provocateur
Noun
  • The charges stemmed from fighting more than a decade ago between the predominantly Muslim Seleka rebels who seized power from then-President François Bozizé, and a mainly Christian militia called the anti-Balaka.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
  • In the south, an array of militias and armed groups arose over the years, ostensibly to back the government against the rebels.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of rebel
Noun
  • Among the agitators were the workers at Sytin’s Moscow publishing house.
    — James Folta, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • In Portsmouth, a group of far-right agitators first attempted to stop lifeboats from bringing the migrants onshore before seeking to block buses from taking the asylum seekers to a processing facility.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of agitator
Noun
  • For its proponents, a country could not be fully independent while its resources and institutions remained excessively dependent on decisions made elsewhere.
    — Andre Pagliarini, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The committee would reportedly include OMB director and Project 2025 proponent Russell Vought and NIH head Jay Bhattacharya.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of proponent
Noun
  • This included understanding the history of democratic ideas and practical governance, as well as the need to protect minority groups and the dangers posed by demagogues.
    — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In recent years, totalizing ideologies such as communism, fascism, and Islamism have found dedicated audiences on social media, and the proliferation of demagogues manipulating people for malign ends is an ever-present worry.
    — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of demagogue
Noun
  • Nixon embodies that for people, Dunn said, adding that her authenticity also attracts supporters.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Finally, supporters of the industry’s decisions contend that employers and venues have legitimate responsibilities to protect audiences and employees from hate speech, regardless of an entertainer’s race or gender.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of supporter
Noun
  • Puth’s representatives and the tour’s promoter have not publicly provided further details about the cancellation.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 19 Sep. 2026
  • While promoters and venues wield great power over concert tours, experts say an artist of Sheeran's magnitude generally has the final say about what happens concerning the shows.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of promoter
Noun
  • The latest operation came just over a week after Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti ruled out negotiations with insurgents and said security operations would continue until militancy was eliminated from the province.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Hundreds joined the insurgents that day, and their numbers soon swelled into the thousands.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of insurgent
Noun
  • Linnetz relishes in his identity as a provocateur, a detail about him which has, in fact, produced more viral moments in five years than most people have in their entire career as a designer.
    — Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • As social media evolved, Kiffin innovated, without regret, as the sport’s biggest poster and provocateur.
    — Matt Baker, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of provocateur

Browse Nearby Words

fireballs
firebrand
firebrands
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Cite this Entry

“Firebrand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firebrand. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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