as in rebels
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 firebrands
Inmates including Sam Bankman-Fried and Harvey Weinstein have turned to such right-wing firebrands as Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens to present alternative narratives to their cases.
—
Andrew Zucker, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
In the 1980s, right-wing firebrands such as Jerry Falwell and Anita Bryant claimed that the AIDS epidemic was a plague sent by God to punish gay people.
—Hillary Rodham Clinton, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Trump’s proposal echoes a long-standing push by progressive Democrats and a few conservative firebrands on Capitol Hill to implement credit card interest rate caps, which would limit the fee a card issuer can charge consumers who carry a balance past their due date.
—Sudiksha Kochi, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2026
While Collier and Stewart have accepted the duty to be labor firebrands, one of their UConn teammates, Morgan Tuck, is making her mark on the management side, as the youngest GM in the WNBA.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 15 Jan. 2026
That includes collaborations in-the-round with Denver’s Nathaniel Rateliff and DeVotchKa, as well as indie firebrands The Flaming Lips, in addition to standard orchestral fare and familiar classical-crossover acts such as Andrea Bocelli and Lindsey Stirling.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 23 Sep. 2025
The heavy concentrations of dead and down fuels will complicate containment efforts and provide sources for firebrands and ember cast when adjacent to control lines.
—Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 Sep. 2025
But just as McCarthy’s picks were considered conservative firebrands, Moskowitz and Crockett are vocal Democratic members whose use of social media and outspoken rhetoric has earned them a high place in the party’s standings.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 8 Sep. 2025
Andrew Zucker, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
In the 1980s, right-wing firebrands such as Jerry Falwell and Anita Bryant claimed that the AIDS epidemic was a plague sent by God to punish gay people.
—Hillary Rodham Clinton, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Trump’s proposal echoes a long-standing push by progressive Democrats and a few conservative firebrands on Capitol Hill to implement credit card interest rate caps, which would limit the fee a card issuer can charge consumers who carry a balance past their due date.
—Sudiksha Kochi, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2026
While Collier and Stewart have accepted the duty to be labor firebrands, one of their UConn teammates, Morgan Tuck, is making her mark on the management side, as the youngest GM in the WNBA.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 15 Jan. 2026
That includes collaborations in-the-round with Denver’s Nathaniel Rateliff and DeVotchKa, as well as indie firebrands The Flaming Lips, in addition to standard orchestral fare and familiar classical-crossover acts such as Andrea Bocelli and Lindsey Stirling.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 23 Sep. 2025
The heavy concentrations of dead and down fuels will complicate containment efforts and provide sources for firebrands and ember cast when adjacent to control lines.
—Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 Sep. 2025
But just as McCarthy’s picks were considered conservative firebrands, Moskowitz and Crockett are vocal Democratic members whose use of social media and outspoken rhetoric has earned them a high place in the party’s standings.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firebrands
Noun
-
Petro also urged the rebels to back efforts to replace coca crops in the northeastern Catatumbo region.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Feb. 2026
-
With Yemen challenged by the social and economic effects of a sporadic but ongoing civil war between Houthi rebels and the central government, conditions have proven difficult for Almatrahi and his family members to visit their homeland.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Both largely blamed outside agitators, noting that conservative influencers urged people to attend the meeting and several of the speakers came from surrounding towns.—
Sarah Bahari,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
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This, in my view, would have kept these agitators away from ICE agents, and almost certainly would have prevented both deaths.—
Michael Zais,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the long term, this failure to address deep social problems contributes to the erosion of people’s trust in governments and institutions, breeding nihilism and an attraction to demagogues who claim to have easy answers.—
Rob Wolfe,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
-
From ancient sources philosophers and poets, democrats and demagogues, found justification for everything from anarchy to fascism, and there are reasons for both justifications.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Both Nakamura and Carlsen are proponents of faster formats and are signed to esports teams.—
Eduardo Tansley,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The legislation's proponents have called on him to use a maneuver known as a talking filibuster to sidestep the 60-vote threshold for ending debate, but doing so would eat up valuable floor time and enable Democrats to offer unlimited amendments.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Those funds often backed far-right Republican insurgents.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Amid the nods to social media and cancel culture and the shallow perils of modern celebrity, the image of Taylor-Joy’s disciplined group of insurgents, who speak in almost archaic, poetic dialogue, strikes a bracing contrast.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
One Irish supporters’ club group had 35 fans coming to the home meeting with Everton in November, a number that more than halved to 15 when the game was switched to a Monday night.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Park service workers last month abruptly removed exhibits from the Philadelphia site, prompting the city and other supporters of the exhibit to sue.—
Maryclaire Dale,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Ticket-holders of Ball Arena concerts, typically sold through Ticketmaster, will receive an email with refund or exchange details, according to promoters.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
11 Feb. 2026
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The early promoters of the organic-farming movement prioritized soil quality and the sustainability of agricultural practices.—
Annie Levin,
Washington Post,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
There were right-wing provocateurs coming to town.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Third parties, which are usually based on fringe views or a sense of grievance, are vehicles for ideologues, provocateurs and contrarians whose appeal is as limited as their problem-solving skills.—
Newsweek Contributors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Firebrands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firebrands. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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