1
as in extreme
being very far from the center of public opinion
the baggy trousers that Amelia Bloomer introduced in the 1850s were considered a radical form of dress for women at the time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in liberal
not bound by traditional ways or beliefs
radical proponents of spelling reform would have every word spelled "just the way it sounds"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in wonderful
slang
of the very best kind
surfing conditions at virtually all of the beaches along the coast were truly radical
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in revolutionary
a person who favors rapid and sweeping changes especially in laws and methods of government
radicals staged large, violent protests in the hopes of toppling the government
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of radical
Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
And that will not be good for the radical left.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
Matt Egan, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
On the one side, bell bottoms became the signature look of 1970s radicals.
—Stephen Mihm, Twin Cities, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for radical
Adjective
His childhood pastor was a guy named Henry Highland Garnet, this Black radical pastor who advocated for abolition and even made a young Frederick Douglass appear to be weak on matters of abolition and measures of equity.
—Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
And that will not be good for the radical left.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
Waller, viewed as the odds-on favorite to replace Powell when his term expires in May, is viewed as more of an institutionalist than a radical.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
On the one side, bell bottoms became the signature look of 1970s radicals.
—Stephen Mihm, Twin Cities, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for radical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for radical
Adjective
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However, these are very extreme cases.—
Kristine Thomason,
Vogue,
24 Sep. 2025
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The warming temperatures have been linked to greater rain in hurricanes, longer droughts and more extreme rainfall events around the globe.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The result was sky-high Democratic turnout, an electoral swing against the president’s party and a double-digit liberal victory.—
Craig Gilbert,
jsonline.com,
25 Sep. 2025
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While Vance’s critique of the Ford Foundation’s tax-exempt status was limited to its support of The Nation during his podcast appearance, other administration officials have provided clues as to how the government will conduct its scrutiny of liberal philanthropies.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Watching his wonderful kids, Amy, Jamie and Shauna, grow up and become deeply connected to the arts and making an impact in this world has been an immense privilege.—
Michelle Satter,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
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Accessible by car or Amtrak’s Northeast Regional line, which offers thrice-daily service, Culpeper is a wonderful destination for a leisurely and enriching getaway.—
Erin Gifford,
Southern Living,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The Frida — named for Frida Kahlo, the Mexican painter and revolutionary known for her surreal and deeply personal artworks — relies on community support from memberships, donations, and volunteers.—
Amy Bentley,
Oc Register,
19 Sep. 2025
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The Romanticism that fueled Wordsworth’s poetic project fueled many of the revolutionaries too.—
Paul Kingsnorth,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Yet what distinguishes Bowles’s work—what animates those strange, angular sentences, with their unexpected rhythms and turns of phrase and rabid energy—isn’t its interest in nonconformity but its obsession with spiritual transformation.—
Nicole Flattery,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
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In the United States, where rabid dogs are far less common due to effective rabies prevention programs, contact with infected bats is the leading cause of human rabies deaths.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In the image, Kimmel has his arm around Lear, a pioneer of socially conscious sitcoms and progressive activism.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
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His Republican predecessors, Schmitt and, before him, Josh Hawley, also used the position to advance conservative causes, wage fights against progressive ones and raise their national profiles.—
Jeremy Kohler,
ProPublica,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Sabel made the trek and quickly realized the greater need in Sri Lanka and worldwide was for regasification facilities that receive the LNG and covert it back into gas for power generation.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
25 Sep. 2025
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However, critics are still calling for greater transparency surrounding the case.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Lopez appeared to have hit his stride—the gown epitomized the unconventional opulence of his design language.—
Ana Karina Zatarain,
New Yorker,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Conventional ideas of leisure are sins; the unconventional is redemptive.—
Nicole Flattery,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Radical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/radical. Accessed 27 Sep. 2025.
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