as in rebel
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
a firebrand who urged crowds to riot during the blackouts
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Recent Examples of firebrand
The audience lapped up everything this firebrand 5-foot-tall Indian auntie had to say.
—
Sarah Khan, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Even in a ruby red Georgia community represented by conservative firebrand and immigration hardliner Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress, Arias Cristobal's arrest has made many uneasy.
—May 14, CBS News, 14 May 2025
Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, a Miami Beach commissioner with a decade of firebrand political activism in the city, is running for mayor.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2025
That capped a swift decline in fortunes for the firebrand Poilievre, who a few months ago appeared to be a shoo-in to become Canada’s next prime minister and shepherd the Conservatives back into power for the first time in a decade.
—Rob Gillies, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for firebrand
Sarah Khan, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Even in a ruby red Georgia community represented by conservative firebrand and immigration hardliner Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress, Arias Cristobal's arrest has made many uneasy.
—May 14, CBS News, 14 May 2025
Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, a Miami Beach commissioner with a decade of firebrand political activism in the city, is running for mayor.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2025
That capped a swift decline in fortunes for the firebrand Poilievre, who a few months ago appeared to be a shoo-in to become Canada’s next prime minister and shepherd the Conservatives back into power for the first time in a decade.
—Rob Gillies, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for firebrand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firebrand
Noun
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Yemen's Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran, have continued to launch attacks in the region despite the truce, including previous drone and missile strikes targeting Israel.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
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Young-il manages to separate from the group and betrays the rebels, killing two of them and faking his own death.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Noun
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Other protesters with a different agenda, or agitators of any sort, can insert themselves into a movement and use confrontational tactics like violence against property or law enforcement.—
Jeremy Pressman,
The Conversation,
15 June 2025
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Tensions continued to escalate throughout the evening as agitators began throwing rocks at officers, and one person spat in an officer's eye, according to police.—
Audrey Conklin,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2025
Noun
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That was the compromise needed to pass the measure, bill proponents said.—
Denise Amos,
Mercury News,
18 June 2025
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The bipartisan bill, which former President Biden signed into law in January, repealed two tax rules that proponents say have unfairly reduced benefits for many Americans who also receive government pensions.—
Aris Folley,
The Hill,
18 June 2025
Noun
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So members of Congress, and President Trump, too, have leverage that demagogues who preceded them could only dream of.—
Jelani Cobb,
New Yorker,
25 May 2025
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That nearly half of Romanians supported a populist demagogue who questions Romania's commitments to the European Union and NATO is a major crack in Europe's democratic wall.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 May 2025
Noun
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Celta agreed to the deal despite criticism from supporters over the sale of an academy graduate who had been seen as heir apparent to Iago Aspas, 37-year-old forward who has spent a decade and a half with the club across two spells.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
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Most days, she was joined by a varied group of supporters—family, friends, parliamentarians, NGO representatives, and advocates from across the globe.—
Margaret Busby
June 20,
Literary Hub,
20 June 2025
Noun
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In addition, Happel co-owns the South Broadway rock club HQ with former Live Nation and Soda Jerk Presents promoter Ore.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
19 June 2025
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The organization also brought in medical teams to train 48 people in the community as health workers and health promoters to ensure the availability of basic medical services.—
Diane Cole,
NPR,
19 June 2025
Noun
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Widely viewed as the most powerful of a broad array of insurgent groups active in northern Syria, HTS withstood regular attacks by the Syrian military, ultimately turning the tide last December.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
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In recent years, the PKK has been limited to isolated attacks inside Turkey as the Turkish military, backed by armed drones, has pushed its insurgents increasingly across the mountainous border into Iraq.—
Suzan Fraser,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2025
Noun
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Shocks to your sense of emotional security awaken your inner provocateur as Mars and Uranus clash!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
15 June 2025
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But most Republicans remained silent, or accused Padilla of being a provocateur.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Firebrand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firebrand. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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