1
as in dissenter
a person who believes, teaches, or advocates something opposed to accepted beliefs
Galileo was condemned as a heretic for supporting Copernicus's thesis that the earth revolves around the sun and not vice versa
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in maverick
a person who does not conform to generally accepted standards or customs
he's the ultimate heretic: a Yankees fan living deep in the heart of the Red Sox Nation
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Recent Examples of heretic
By 1120, the church council in Jerusalem ordered that sodomites, like heretics, be burned at the stake.
—
S. C. Cornell, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025
The witch in question is Jovovich’s Gray Alys, introduced on the brink of being hanged as a heretic by Ash (Arly Jover), a fervent enforcer in a dystopian future ruled by both a royal house and cult-like church.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 Mar. 2025
And heretics, even if they’re not burned at the stake, are dehumanized, ostracized and denied any empathy and understanding.
—Arianna Huffington, TIME, 11 Dec. 2024
The point of dogma is to define and defend the borders of acceptable opinion, and brand anyone who goes outside them as quite simply a heretic.
—Arianna Huffington, TIME, 11 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for heretic
S. C. Cornell, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025
The witch in question is Jovovich’s Gray Alys, introduced on the brink of being hanged as a heretic by Ash (Arly Jover), a fervent enforcer in a dystopian future ruled by both a royal house and cult-like church.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 Mar. 2025
And heretics, even if they’re not burned at the stake, are dehumanized, ostracized and denied any empathy and understanding.
—Arianna Huffington, TIME, 11 Dec. 2024
The point of dogma is to define and defend the borders of acceptable opinion, and brand anyone who goes outside them as quite simply a heretic.
—Arianna Huffington, TIME, 11 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for heretic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heretic
Noun
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Blackman speculated that Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh may have supported the dissenters’ view but chose not to side publicly with Trump.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
21 Apr. 2025
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The four dissenters are Republican appointees, including three named by Trump in his first term.—
Lindsay Whitehurst and Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The Tony Award nominations, announced Thursday morning in New York, reflect the split-screen reality of a Broadway season divided by mavericks and mega-stars.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2025
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Art Dubai is somewhat of a maverick within this market.—
Grace Banks,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Didn’t his ignominious end—crucifixion was Rome’s punishment for renegades and slaves—contradict his claim to be divine?—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2025
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While one reading of Xi is that his rhetoric is in part a strategic move to burnish Chinese power globally, labeling Taiwan as a renegade or breakaway province is, for many, a clear indication of an intention to invade and bring the island within the geography of Chinese sovereignty.—
Colin Flint,
The Conversation,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Season 8’s unapologetic iconoclast Acid Betty returns to the competition to kick ass and take names.—
Joey Nolfi,
EW.com,
23 Apr. 2025
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Season eight’s unapologetic iconoclast, Acid Betty, returns to the competition to kick ass and take names.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Heretic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heretic. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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