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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Trudy Rubin, Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2025
Stone Island isn’t the only label to have been worn by people associated with extremist movements in recent years.
—Steve Salter, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025
Authorities said he had been radicalized online by watching violent and extremist videos.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 14 Oct. 2025
Political violence, free speech and cultural editing The First Amendment, however, protects extremist speech, including advocacy of violence.
—Gregory P. Magarian, The Conversation, 10 Oct. 2025
Although a majority of the Israeli public had been pushing for a hostage-and-ceasefire deal, Netanyahu’s extremist coalition partners have threatened to topple his government if the war ended and the Israeli military withdrew entirely from Gaza.
—Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
On social media, the group tied explicit books in schools and libraries to political extremist efforts.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 9 Oct. 2025
That being said, there's no question Qatar has extremist links.
—Newsweek Contributors, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Eight years later, Brenton Tarrant killed 51 people in two separate shootings at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, after hereleased a more than 80-page manifesto filled with anti-Muslim, extremist language.
—Connor Greene, Time, 24 Sep. 2025
Alex Vance, Parents, 21 Oct. 2025
The extremists are insulting you every single day.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
This would put Americans more at risk of actual threats — such as those posed by homegrown violent extremists who subscribe to Islamic State or Al Qaeda doctrine.
—Jason M. Blazakis, Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2025
The extremists are insulting you every single day.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 17 Oct. 2025
This story goes back to Israel’s 1996 election that followed the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by an Israeli extremist opposed to the Oslo Accords.
—Thomas Friedman, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
For too long in Kansas, the Republican Party has been dominated by extremists who see no room for moderation or bipartisanship, let alone unity or mutual respect.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2025
So what happens when extremists wear their clothes?
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025
Pureval's characterization of MAGA extremists sparked boos from Bowman supporters in the crowd.
—Scott Wartman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
That also applies to the current de facto annexation being carried out by radical settlers and extremist ministers in Netanyahu’s cabinet.
—Trudy Rubin, Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2025
Stone Island isn’t the only label to have been worn by people associated with extremist movements in recent years.
—Steve Salter, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025
Authorities said he had been radicalized online by watching violent and extremist videos.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 14 Oct. 2025
Political violence, free speech and cultural editing The First Amendment, however, protects extremist speech, including advocacy of violence.
—Gregory P. Magarian, The Conversation, 10 Oct. 2025
Although a majority of the Israeli public had been pushing for a hostage-and-ceasefire deal, Netanyahu’s extremist coalition partners have threatened to topple his government if the war ended and the Israeli military withdrew entirely from Gaza.
—Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
On social media, the group tied explicit books in schools and libraries to political extremist efforts.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 9 Oct. 2025
That being said, there's no question Qatar has extremist links.
—Newsweek Contributors, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Eight years later, Brenton Tarrant killed 51 people in two separate shootings at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, after hereleased a more than 80-page manifesto filled with anti-Muslim, extremist language.
—Connor Greene, Time, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
Extremist or hate group recruitment Alarmingly, violent extremists are taking advantage of open platforms like Discord, using it as a recruiting ground for vulnerable and unsuspecting users.
—Alex Vance, Parents, 21 Oct. 2025
The extremists are insulting you every single day.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
This would put Americans more at risk of actual threats — such as those posed by homegrown violent extremists who subscribe to Islamic State or Al Qaeda doctrine.
—Jason M. Blazakis, Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2025
The extremists are insulting you every single day.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 17 Oct. 2025
This story goes back to Israel’s 1996 election that followed the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by an Israeli extremist opposed to the Oslo Accords.
—Thomas Friedman, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
For too long in Kansas, the Republican Party has been dominated by extremists who see no room for moderation or bipartisanship, let alone unity or mutual respect.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2025
So what happens when extremists wear their clothes?
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025
Pureval's characterization of MAGA extremists sparked boos from Bowman supporters in the crowd.
—Scott Wartman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extremist
Adjective
-
These more radical communities are heavily fragmented yet increasingly popular.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Today, as a government shutdown darkens our national museums and the National Endowment for the Humanities is gutted, the danger is no longer a matter of rhetoric but of radical, systemic action.—
Andrew Weinstein,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Most of the records on the Haitian revolution were written by people who opposed the revolutionaries.—
Julia Gaffield,
The Conversation,
15 Oct. 2025
-
The Mexican actor plays revolutionaries in both season 2 of Star Wars series Andor and new movie musical, Kiss of the Spider Woman.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In Julius Caesar Shakespeare demonstrates the extreme consequences of a lack of due process.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Oct. 2025
-
For extreme pickle lovers, Jimmy John's is also offering the Triple Pickle, a meal deal that features your choice of Picklewich, Pickle Jimmy Chips, and Pickle Ranch.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Rod Wave Elite is a popular high school basketball squad that bounces around the country playing exhibition games to crowds of rabid teens and internet celebrities.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Ed Sheeran is used to playing for tens of thousands of rabid fans in stadiums around the world.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Extremist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extremist. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share