jihadist

noun

ji·​had·​ist ji-ˈhä-dist How to pronounce jihadist (audio)
 chiefly British  -ˈha-
: a Muslim who advocates or participates in a jihad
jihadist adjective

Examples of jihadist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In one especially brutal atrocity last March, hard-line jihadists supposedly outside the Syrian government’s control rampaged through Alawite villages along Syria’s Mediterranean coast, killing hundreds of civilians, in retaliation for Assad loyalists attacking Syrian army positions. Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025 Still, many countries are reluctant or unwilling to take in the children of ISIS fighters out of fear they may have been radicalized by extremists and could become future jihadists. Sacha Pfeiffer, NPR, 27 May 2025 While Turkey has supported Syria's new president and former jihadist Ahmed al-Sharaa, Israel has attacked military targets previously belonging to the Assad regime throughout the country to neutralize a potential threat from Damascus. Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025 The same proxies that have worked with the Mexican cartels to get jihadists across our border. Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for jihadist

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jihadist was in 1967

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jihadist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jihadist. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!