Synonym Chooser

How is the word disciple different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of disciple are adherent, follower, and partisan. While all these words mean "one who gives full loyalty and support to another," disciple implies a devoted allegiance to the teachings of one chosen as a master.

disciples of Gandhi

Where would adherent be a reasonable alternative to disciple?

Although the words adherent and disciple have much in common, adherent suggests a close and persistent attachment.

adherents to Marxism

In what contexts can follower take the place of disciple?

While the synonyms follower and disciple are close in meaning, follower may apply to people who attach themselves either to the person or beliefs of another.

an evangelist and his followers

When can partisan be used instead of disciple?

The synonyms partisan and disciple are sometimes interchangeable, but partisan suggests a zealous often prejudiced attachment.

partisans of the President

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of disciple These were composed somewhere far from Jerusalem, in a language that Jesus and his disciples would not have known, by writers who could not have been eyewitnesses. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025 The Jaguars hope the Sean McVay and Les Snead disciples can orchestrate a turnaround similar to the Rams’ revival that began in 2017. Mike Jones, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025 In John 13, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, a task typically reserved for the lowest servant. Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 10 Apr. 2025 Frank Lloyd Wright disciple Richard Neutra’s pair of masterpieces--the Miller and Kaufmann Residences--are well worth a tour, as are homes by John Lautner and Donald Wexler. David Weiss, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for disciple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disciple
Noun
  • He was often ridiculed by contemporaries, including renowned adherents of the Nation of Islam such as Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali, as being too actively focused on integration and too passively focused on Black empowerment, critiques of the Black political establishment that persist today.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Though the government's counter-offensive was able to largely contain the insurgency, footage surfaced of what appeared to be retaliatory attacks targeting the broader minority Alawite community, an offshoot of Shia Islam whose adherents live mainly in the western coastal region.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 11 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Creators with under 50K followers had more trust than celebrity influencers, the study found.
    Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Last summer, beauty label Charlotte Tilbury partnered with Purdue, who counts over 51,500 followers on Instagram and 32,000 on TikTok, on video content showing off the products the runner uses in her routine.
    Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Every Pope Listed in Order There have been 266 popes in the history of the Catholic Church, with the first one, Peter, leader of the apostles, heading the church starting in 32 A.D. The complete list of popes known to the church is as follows: 1.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025
  • And some families go as far as cooking 12 fish dishes in honor of the apostles.
    Claudia Alarcón, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Instead of forcing women to accept their message, missionaries encouraged voluntary reform.
    Jenna Deep, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Alfredo Sosa/Staff In 1830, likely seeing it as a means of survival, a Shawnee chief invited a missionary to the reservation to help educate members of his tribe in the ways of white Americans.
    Alfredo Sosa, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Disciple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disciple. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

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