terrorist

1 of 2

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

2 of 2

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

Guerrero Flores was charged in a New York federal court with racketeering conspiracy and other crimes, including lending support to terrorists in crimes that stretched more than a decade, authorities announced in December. —Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026

By harboring terrorists and letting its facilities serve as Hamas headquarters, UNRWA has become an arm of Hamas. —Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026

Adjective

The law has been credited for stopping numerous terrorist attacks, including on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna in 2024. —Bart Jansen, USA Today, 17 June 2026

Palestine Action was declared a terrorist organization alongside the likes of al-Qaida and Hamas, making membership in or support for the group a crime punishable by up to 14 years in prison. —ABC News, 15 June 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