terrorist

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noun

ter·​ror·​ist ˈter-ər-ist 

plural terrorists

: an advocate or practitioner of terrorism as a means of coercion

Opposition still runs high to the idea of releasing or bringing into U.S. prisons dozens of men widely considered dangerous terrorists even if many are not.

Less than three weeks before the Winter Olympics are set to begin in the Russian city of Sochi, police there have begun hunting for suspected terrorists allegedly plotting attacks.

—Time

terrorist

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adjective

: or, relating to, or characteristic of terrorists or terrorism : practicing or involving violent acts of terror

a terrorist organization

The consequences of the U.S. response to the terrorist attacks of September 2001 will ramify for decades.

—Joe Klein

There is no margin for error when a real terrorist threat is present and the safety of the public, and the first responders, is in jeopardy.

—Gary J. Laughlin

Examples of terrorist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The two Middle Eastern countries, which border each other, remain engaged in ongoing strikes, as Israel seeks to root out Hezbollah terrorists in the region. —Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 3 Apr. 2026

According to Italian media outlets Corriere della Sera and ANSA, citing local police, tests have shown that the pair were actually poisoned with ricin, a poison often used by terrorists. —Kirsty Hatcher, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026

Adjective

DeSantis signed the bill on Monday, which allows Florida to designate certain groups as domestic terrorist organizations. —Bri Buckley, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026

An alliance of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia had initiated a de facto blockade claiming that Qatar was funding terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State — an allegation the country steadfastly denied. —Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1794, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1795, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing terrorist

• anti-terrorist