1
as in lover
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something
football fanatics are pretty much booked up for weekends from Labor Day to Super Bowl Sunday
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in partisan
one who is intensely or excessively devoted to a cause
once he joined the movement, he became a fanatic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
or fanatical
as in extreme
being very far from the center of public opinion
because of her fanatical views, her friends know better than to try to discuss the issues with her
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 fanatic
Andrea Cheng, Refinery29, 1 Oct. 2025
As steadfast as the Deadheads are, though, hardcore Metallica fanatics may be even more extreme.
—Paul Liberatore, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Gregory Jusdanis, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
There is an almost mythical, fanatical connection between the Republic of Ireland and Leeds.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fanatic
Noun
But my fiancé is something of a fanatic.
—Andrea Cheng, Refinery29, 1 Oct. 2025
As steadfast as the Deadheads are, though, hardcore Metallica fanatics may be even more extreme.
—Paul Liberatore, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Constantine’s primary focus, if not fanatical preoccupation, from 1890 on was poetry.
—Gregory Jusdanis, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
There is an almost mythical, fanatical connection between the Republic of Ireland and Leeds.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fanatic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fanatic
Noun
-
Vaughan has also made his mark on primetime television, with roles such as the charming firefighter Dan Gordon on Charmed and Calvin Galston, the longtime, married lover of Nova Bordelon on Queen Sugar.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
-
The cable network recently went in search for the best spots for plant lovers in the United States — showcasing a single garden per state.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
To be a partisan is to live in intellectual bondage.—
John H Bolthouse,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Where the political polarization of AI goes next will probably depend on unpredictable future events and how partisans opportunistically seize on them.—
Nathan E. Sanders,
Time,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The bank estimates that two-thirds of the population are living in extreme poverty — less than $3 a day.—
Preeti Jha,
semafor.com,
8 Oct. 2025
-
The ocean anomaly has also been associated with extreme weather events, including droughts; warmer ocean temperatures can also generally help hurricanes develop more rapidly, and exacerbate fires, says Pastelok.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Some fans on social media speculated that the pop star’s T-shirt might be a subtle jab at Swift, who frequently visits Kansas City with her fiancé, Travis Kelce.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
12 Oct. 2025
-
There will be a lot of Cowboys fans in the crowd.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Israeli hostages When Hamas launched its terrorist attack, militants kidnapped nearly 250 hostages -- including women, children and elderly adults -- and took them into Gaza.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
7 Oct. 2025
-
He was injured by shrapnel fighting Hamas militants in his community of Kfar Aza and was hospitalized, while his wife, three children, and their neighbor’s child, an American girl named Abigail Idan, who was orphaned in the attack, were among those kidnapped and brought back to Gaza.—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The comebacks have been rabid and theatrical.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
-
That’s in character for rabid Philly fans, who once tossed snowballs at Santa Claus during a long-ago Eagles game.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
With topics for designers, filmmakers, or fashion enthusiasts alike, this panel offers a lively look at how costume design enhances narrative, and continues to shape both cinema and everyday style.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
-
At the bottom, a sneaker enthusiast-favorite translucent rubber outsole finishes off the look.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Kennedy, a long-time anti-vaccine crusader before taking on the nation's top health post, has linked vaccines to autism and sought to rewrite the country's immunization policies.—
Reuters,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The white man in question is the show’s protagonist, Lee Raybon, an anticorruption crusader investigating a powerful family in his home city of Tulsa, Okla.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fanatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fanatic. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share