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

He was taken away by Hamas terrorists from their kibbutz home. —Greg Palkot, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025

Two years have passed since Hamas terrorists murdered 1,195 people and took 251 more as hostages. —Dafna Michaelson Jenet, Denver Post, 12 Oct. 2025

Adjective

In September, the administration declared antifa a terrorist organization and so the Wednesday roundtable was meant to show how seriously the White House is taking this apparent terrorist threat. —Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 13 Oct. 2025

The obliteration of both Iran’s nuclear facilities and the foreign terrorist cartels traversing the Gulf of America are clear evidence of the president's success. —Brian Mast, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1794, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1795, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing terrorist

• anti-terrorist