extremist 1 of 2

Definition of extremistnext
as in radical
being very far from the center of public opinion their extremist views on religious issues set them apart from the rest of the community

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extremist

2 of 2

noun

as in revolutionary
a person who favors rapid and sweeping changes especially in laws and methods of government extremists wanted to do away with everything, even though they had no thought-out plan for what to do afterwards

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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 extremist
Adjective
No more extremist posturing to win primaries. Mary Ellen Klas, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026 Indeed, this was a more innocent time when conspiracy theories could still be fun and eccentric, and were less likely to be exploited by extremist actors. Richard Edwards, Space.com, 1 June 2026 Last week, at the request of the Department of Justice, a federal appeals court threw out the convictions of four members of far-right extremist group the Oath Keepers, that was a militia involved in January 6. CBS News, 31 May 2026 This internal vote looks less like simple sticker shock than a warning from members that CTU leadership has drifted too far from the classroom and too deep into extremist politics. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026 While the Zizian ideology is extremist in nature, a less extreme version of the same fears surrounding the cataclysmic potential of AI are a common concern among AI alignment experts, machine-learning engineers, and even frontier AI companies. Daniel Boguslaw, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2026 Eastern Congo has for years seen attacks by dozens of separate rebel and militant groups, some of them with links to foreign countries or the extremist Islamic State group. ABC News, 26 May 2026 No more extremist posturing to win primaries. Mary Ellen Klas, Mercury News, 26 May 2026 Inspectors documented staff using demeaning language, displaying extremist imagery, and engaging in conduct that violated the Bureau’s own standards. Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
Noun
And when Khomeini broke that promise, my father was one of the first to stand up to him and the extremists who hijacked that revolution. Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 2 June 2026 Republicans have sought to cast him as an effete extremist. Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026 Democrats have labeled him a far-right extremist and an election denier — a characterization Frazier has rejected. Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 29 May 2026 But Raman’s walked quite the tightrope of being a DSA’er who talks like a back-to-basics liberal while also hanging out with left-wing extremists like Hasan Piker. Sal Rodriguez, Daily News, 28 May 2026 Earlier this month, Trump’s counterterrorism czar, Sebastian Gorka, released a public counterterrorism strategy claiming that left-wing extremists are one of the three top counterterrorism priorities facing the United States. Daniel Boguslaw, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2026 From churches to synagogues, mosques to grocery stores, extremists have targeted innocent people because of race, religion, ethnicity, or identity. Michael Brunker, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026 New Delhi vehemently denied the allegations and accused former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government of harboring Sikh extremists of the Khalistan movement. ABC News, 25 May 2026 Weeks later, Rabin was assassinated by the far-right extremist Yigal Amir. Avi Issacharoff, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extremist
Adjective
  • One of the show’s most radical changes from Broadway is switching the genders of a few characters from male to female.
    Devon Ivie, Vulture, 4 June 2026
  • Byrne and Chace will play brothers amongst a group of men seeking to rediscover their purpose at the radical Reclaim Retreat that promises the transformation of the modern man.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • Not helping was Parliament’s passage of the Tea Act in 1773, to which revolutionaries responded by dumping tea into Boston Harbor.
    Laurie Kellman, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
  • Not helping was Parliament's passage of the Tea Act in 1773, to which revolutionaries responded by dumping tea into Boston Harbor.
    ABC News, ABC News, 3 June 2026
Adjective
  • It should not be used for broiling, high-heat searing or any cooking method that requires extreme heat.
    Ryan Brennan June 2, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
  • As with the rest of the hotel, rooms and suites blend extreme comfort and modern convenience with antique beauty, atmosphere and brilliant art.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
Adjective
  • Travis Knight, a rabid Masters of the Universe fan, and a filmmaker who was able to bring humor and heart to silent Transformer Bumblebee in his own standalone film, emerged as the top choice to direct.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 3 June 2026
  • This series is going well beyond the rabid nature of fandom.
    Dick Brennan, CBS News, 3 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Extremist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extremist. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

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