extremism

Definition of extremismnext
as in excessiveness
belief in and support for ideas that are very far from what most people consider correct or reasonable political extremism

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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 extremism In his best moments, former CPS CEO Pedro Martinez served as a counterweight to this kind of CTU extremism. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026 In Conversation Michael Edison Hayden traces the origins of white supremacy group VDARE and explores how extremism can invade small town American. Literary Hub, 6 Apr. 2026 The Sahel is the world’s deadliest region for extremism, according to the Global Terrorism Index. Wilson McMakin, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026 The Institute for Strategic Dialogue, which tracks disinformation and online extremism, has been examining social media posts around the Iran war. ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for extremism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extremism
Noun
  • How war became inevitable Yet Netanyahu shows no concern for how Israel’s excesses are fueling antisemitism in what has been Israel’s only dependable ally.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
  • McIlroy, in particular, was thought to have turned down an offer in excess of Jon Rahm’s reported £500 million contract.
    Will Barker, TheWeek, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • As much as an institutional critique, Szpila has given us a parable on the dangers of fanaticism and the necessity of radicalism, and the obvious parallel between the rigidity of belief systems.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
  • But that distinction would have made little sense to seventeenth-century women, whose religious radicalism led them to make vehement political critiques of their own society.
    Chandler Fritz, The New York Review of Books, 21 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • But this often requires accepting the fundamental irrationality of the wrapping-up process.
    Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
  • The irrationality of politicians suddenly makes sense.
    The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 24 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Extremism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extremism. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.

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