FANATICISM Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

fanaticism

noun

Definition of fanaticism

as in zeal

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Dissimilar Words

as in dogmatism

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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 fanaticism But the beauty of the beautiful game is that millions of dollars and people don’t guarantee success, that there’s a difference between a soccer-playing nation and a soccer nation, that passion and culture and fanaticism matter. — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026 Even after the glow of the Cup has faded, opportunities to plug into Scotland’s football fanaticism will continue. — Laura Dannen Redman, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 May 2026 Global warming led to international tensions, and a mixture of religious fanaticism and failures in governance gave way to nuclear annihilation. — Ian Stokes, Space.com, 24 May 2026 Even OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, the current darlings of generative-AI fanaticism, will become subdued if their firms survive. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 22 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fanaticism

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fanaticism

Noun

Legendary computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton warned AI could wipe out humanity as a mere byproduct of its zeal to accomplish a more innocent task.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026
Halas leaned into the new job with zeal, using his earlier barnstorming connections to both recruit and coach players, while organizing a makeshift league called the American Professional Football Association.

— Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of zeal

Noun

When authenticity becomes uncompromising, candor turns belligerent, consistency becomes rigid, or principled decision-making morphs into dogmatism, even the best intentions can backfire.

— Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
By staying so close to black metal’s core sound, Marchenko does more to undermine the dogmatism—both racial and aesthetic—of Vikernes and his ilk than a more obviously experimental project might.

— Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026

Definition of dogmatism

Noun

It’s centered on Bryant’s pillars of passion, obsession, relentlessness, resilience and fearlessness, core traits that Bowman used to persevere and conquer.

— Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 27 Sep. 2026
This is admittedly a ridiculously high standard, but just compare this film to David Fincher’s Zodiac, which shows us just how much all that obsession took out of the people involved in the case.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of obsession

Noun

The guiding principle is an 80/20 sourcing philosophy that means just 20% of the food is imported while 80% is from the archipelago.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
As a young student, Adnan left for Paris and later completed advanced studies in philosophy at Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of philosophy

Noun

The White House and its allies are lonely in their insistence that AI development in America must accelerate without governments setting ground rules.

— Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 25 Sep. 2026
There may never be a satisfactory explanation for the WNBA’s insistence on abandoning such a loyal, durable fanbase, but the fans didn’t come to Mohegan Sun Arena one last time to ask why.

— Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of insistence

Noun

What if even the slightest error in doctrine or practice allowed the devil to mislead and damn well-meaning Christians?

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
The term appeared within Christian doctrine somewhere around the seventeenth century in reference to the flood that followed the Fall.

— Artforum, Artforum, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of doctrine

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“Fanaticism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fanaticism. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of fanaticism

noun

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