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
Following his ouster, Sunnis were the most impacted by purges of public institutions, generating resentment and a feeling of disenfranchisement that in some cases manifested in the rise of Sunni extremist groups. ABC News, 4 May 2026 Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police, said British Jews are now the target of every extremist group spreading hate. CBS News, 2 May 2026 Throughout the series, Creasy is operating under the intel that the FRP, an extremist organization in Brazil, and its imprisoned leader, Ferraz, are behind the bombing of the high-rise. Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026 Some are particularly concerned about California, long a hothouse for extremist groups. Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026 Attacks by extremist settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank have surged since the brutal Hamas attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, with. Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026 The Justice Department alleges that the civil rights group known as the SPLC improperly raised millions of dollars to secretly pay leaders of the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist and extremist groups for inside information. Beth Gazley, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2026 This came during a podcast with the founder of an extremist group known then as Defend East County. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026 The indictment came shortly after SPLC revealed the existence of a criminal investigation into its program to pay informants to infiltrate extremist groups and gather information on their activities. Collin Binkley, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
Reparations will support education, economic aid and mental health services, with programs specifically targeting women and girls who endured systematic persecution by extremists in Timbuktu. Molly Quell, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026 Conservative activists said the group was intentionally − and unfairly − labeling mainstream political and religious organizations as extremist, raising concerns about political bias. Josh Meyer, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026 Vulnerable rural communities regularly come under fire from Islamic extremists and bandits who take advantage of Nigeria’s vast rural areas and security gaps. ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026 The Associated Press reported that Algerian authorities rejected a Vatican request for Leo to visit Médéa to pray at the Tibhirine monastery, the place where seven French Trappist monks were kidnapped and killed May 21, 1996, by Islamic extremists during the country’s civil war. Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026 Modern extremists aren’t known for their love of Broadway, but a song about impressing a girl by killing a president takes on new meaning when sung from the lips of a social media loner. Charles Lewis Iii, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026 Violent extremists feasted on this great replacement propaganda, using it to justify terror attacks across the West. Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026 Yet Ali’s act does not only evoke terrorist incidents such as the Charlie Hebdo attack, perpetrated by Muslim extremists, just a few months prior to The Red Chador. H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 31 Mar. 2026 The Italian metal extremist has been going down a rabbit hole of his own with a series of highly technical I, Voidhanger releases marked by extraterrestrial synth work and winding, stop-on-a-dime riffs. Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extremist
Adjective
  • The Greens have embraced a radical mix of leftist politics and pro-Palestinian activism — sprinkled with just a dash of their titular environmentalism.
    Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 7 May 2026
  • Policy makers prioritize radical agendas over affordability.
    Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • Several of the world’s leading revolutionaries had spent time in the country.
    Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • The second includes former revolutionaries, reformists, communist factions and groups such as the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), many of whom emerged from or once supported the revolutionary system before later opposing it.
    Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Typical pulsating aurora displays last 10 to 20 minutes, but Kerss had captured almost three hours of extreme pulsating auroras — an unusually powerful display and one of the longest on record, according to the statement.
    Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Threats are growing from more extreme weather.
    Michael Copley, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The sense with Backrooms is that there’s a stickiness around it with the under 25 set who are rabid fans of the Kane Pixels created IP from 2019.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 7 May 2026
  • In March, two people and several dogs were treated after being attacked by a rabid bobcat that tested positive for the disease in New Mexico.
    Adam England, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Extremist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extremist. Accessed 10 May. 2026.

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