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

Fascists, communists, terrorists, and human traffickers all have values, but most of us would not consider their values valuable. —Andrew Abela, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025

The administration has argued that these individuals, who are now labeled terrorists, are exempt from the rights of American citizens. —Peter Aitken gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025

Adjective

Due date for individuals and businesses impacted by recent terrorist attacks in Israel. —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025

Some gangs, which under Mr. Trump’s designation are now considered transnational terrorist organizations, have spread beyond Haiti, establishing gun smuggling ties to Florida and the Dominican Republic. —David C. Adams, New York Times, 2 May 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