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
But Isaacman has also positioned himself as a visionary firebrand in the space community who is ready for change.
—
Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
Many commentators viewed Gaetz as a firebrand who was temperamentally unsuited for that position.
—Austin Sarat, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
Last year, Dusty Deevers, a right-wing firebrand known for trying to ban no-fault divorce, introduced legislation that would allow government employees to be paid in bitcoin.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026
French former Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, who gave France its 35-hour work week and then withdrew from politics after leading France’s Socialist Party to an earth-shaking presidential election defeat against far-right firebrand Jean-Marie Le Pen, has died.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for firebrand
Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
Many commentators viewed Gaetz as a firebrand who was temperamentally unsuited for that position.
—Austin Sarat, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
Last year, Dusty Deevers, a right-wing firebrand known for trying to ban no-fault divorce, introduced legislation that would allow government employees to be paid in bitcoin.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026
French former Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, who gave France its 35-hour work week and then withdrew from politics after leading France’s Socialist Party to an earth-shaking presidential election defeat against far-right firebrand Jean-Marie Le Pen, has died.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for firebrand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firebrand
Noun
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Mali was struck late last month by one of the biggest coordinated attacks on its army in Bamako and several other cities by jihadis and rebels who seized several towns and military bases.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
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The rebels were fully aware of these other colonies and sought to include them.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Noun
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Anti-Israel agitators clashed with law enforcement outside a Manhattan synagogue on Tuesday night as pro-Israel demonstrators waved Israeli and American flags nearby.—
Anders Hagstrom,
FOXNews.com,
6 May 2026
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Birdbaths that have small fountains or agitators also keep the water rippling.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The entrenchment of those supply chains may have been underestimated by proponents of nearshoring and onshoring, while the impacts of higher tariffs may have been overestimated.—
Kate Nishimura,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
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Despite that distinct lack of a firm commitment to raising new revenues, proponents of finding new revenue sources to replace federal healthcare cuts cheered the Assembly proposal and described it as aligned with the Senate.—
Andrew Graham
May 7,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
Noun
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But demeaning our brand through association with vulgar demagogues is a losing strategy.—
Alma Hernandez,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
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Does the rise of right-wing demagogues offer chilling parallels to the Pinochet era?—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The clip, shared on X, appears to show Zahra Billoo, executive director of the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations CAIR-CA, discussing how supporters should approach expressing controversial sentiments in public versus private settings.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
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Liverpool have revised plans to increase ticket prices following protests and lengthy discussions with the club’s supporters’ board.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Those business partners were doing that hard piece of convincing managers, agents, and promoters to take the risk — and the promoters finally agreed.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
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Boxing tempts him, the business world motivates him and his role as a promoter excites him.—
Jorge Ebro
May 6,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
Noun
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Many advanced states understand the need for some kind of violent reaction to terrorists or insurgents, usually as a task for special-operations forces.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
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Both political insurgents were elected under extraordinary circumstances.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
Noun
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McGrath’s work covers artists ranging from indie provocateur Peaches and Denver’s Nathaniel Rateliff to Smashing Pumpkins, Beck, Soundgarden and Steve Martin, so don’t be surprised to see some of your favorites in there.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
7 May 2026
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Just a funny parasocial back-and-forth between some of the most passionate fans in sports and one of the best provocateurs the SEC has seen since Steve Spurrier.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Firebrand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firebrand. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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