Synonyms of extremist

extremist 1 of 2

adjective

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

• radical
• extreme
• rabid
• revolutionary
• fanatic
• ultra
• violent
• revolutionist
• subversive
• reactionary
• wild

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• conservative
• moderate
• traditional
• conventional
• middle-of-the-road
• liberal
• temperate
• orthodox
• unrevolutionary
• nonrevolutionary
• progressive

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• revolutionary
• radical
• rebel
• revolutionist
• anarchist
• leftist
• crazy
• insurgent
• reformer
• reformist
• lefty
• separatist
• progressive
• agitator
• red
• insurrectionist
• separationist
• secessionist
• subversive
• young Turk
• anarch

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• moderate
• conservative
• Tory
• rightist
• reactionary
• traditionalist
• middle-of-the-roader
• fuddy-duddy
• standpatter

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of extremist

Adjective

This is especially true among young people who now spend countless hours on gaming site chatrooms that promote extremist hate and engage with chatbots programmed to maximize engagement, often with harmful consequences. — Michael Posner, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

One of his personal highlights was Mark Pellington’s 1999 political thriller Arlington Road, starring Jeff Bridges as a history professor who suspects his neighbor, played by Tim Robbins, of being involved in an anti-government extremist movement. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026

Shaming or humiliating people online often pushes them further into extremist rabbit holes. — Larry Magid, Mercury News, 30 July 2026

Because there are extremist groups that called for military aggression against Venezuela, and the Venezuelan people—especially those who experienced the attack first hand—felt a great deal of fear. — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 30 July 2026

In the past six years, some of these theories have emerged from the margins of the internet and made their way into Republican politics, the MAGA movement, anti-vaccine communities and even white-nationalist extremist networks. — Art Jipson, The Conversation, 30 July 2026

Ballout was suspected of driving a van into a crowd near Berlin’s Pride festival Saturday night before apparently stabbing others with a machete in what authorities believe was an Islamic extremist terror attack. — Geir Moulson, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026

Increasingly, his mind was preoccupied with extremist views and conspiracy theories, including secret government cabals and false-flag operations. — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026

Members of the movement share an extremist political ideology that justifies (in their view) unlawful activities or at least the intentional disregard of federal laws. — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 July 2026

Noun

Swatting is just one criminal element associated with 764, which federal authorities have characterized as a network of nihilistic violent extremists. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026

Take the word of an extremist who wants to destroy the fabric of this country. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026

Sadat was killed by Muslim extremists who were displeased with Sadat’s foreign and domestic policies. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026

Bill Pugliano | Getty Images Stevens, meanwhile, cast El-Sayed as an extremist and as the GOP's preferred candidate this November. — Justin Papp, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026

The following day, the state added him to its official register of terrorists and extremists, a designation that obliges Russian banks to freeze his assets. — Susie Violet Ward, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

The song debuted in 1995, at a Voters for Choice benefit concert hosted by Gloria Steinem, after an antiabortion extremist murdered two women at a Planned Parenthood and another family-planning clinic in Massachusetts. — Claire Howorth, Vanity Fair, 29 July 2026

More than four decades later, Kinnock’s actions remain among the most memorable examples of a political leader confronting extremists on his own side. — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026

Lamb also swapped racist jokes with a border extremist in an online message exchange, The Republic found, and spent months launching a multimillion-dollar ranch business in Tennessee while running for Congress in Arizona. — Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 21 July 2026