iconoclast
noun
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For the Meaning of Iconoclast, Break It Down
Iconoclast comes from the Greek word eikonoklastēs, which translates literally as “image destroyer.” While the destruction wrought by today’s iconoclasts is figurative—in modern use, an iconoclast is someone who criticizes or opposes beliefs and practices that are widely accepted—the first iconoclasts directed their ire at religious icons, those representations of sacred individuals used as objects of veneration. The Byzantine Empire’s Iconoclastic Controversy occurred in the 8th and 9th centuries, but the word iconoclast didn’t find its way to English until the 17th century. Figurative use came later still.
Examples of iconoclast in a Sentence
Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
With no knock on a standard-issue C8 Corvette, the ZR1 is a serious target for collectors, including iconoclasts who prefer to zig where others zag.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 25 June 2025
The more time spent on a personality clash between this pair of mercurial iconoclasts, the less time is being dedicated to getting Trump’s pending domestic agenda across the finish line.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 6 June 2025
Set in 1992 in Aspen, Colorado, and inspired by a true story, Gonzo Girl follows Alley Russo, an aspiring writer who takes on an
assistant job to the iconoclast and founder of gonzo journalism, Walker Reade.
—Katcy Stephan, Variety, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for iconoclast
Cite this Entry
“Iconoclast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/iconoclast. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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