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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of heretic
Giordano Bruno, a like-minded heretic, already had been just a few years earlier.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
These groups are often treated as heretics who split from Islam and whose beliefs and rituals are deemed beyond the pale of acceptance.
—Güneş Murat Tezcür, The Conversation, 23 July 2025
Young Morrison got a harsh lesson in how things are done in a blue state: Liberal groupthink is gospel, dissenters are heretics who should be hushed.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 28 May 2025
This approach demands that those who were once secular priests—the leaders of the philanthropic sector—abandon their cassocks and accept the mantle of the heretic.
—Mark Malloch-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 15 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for heretic
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
These groups are often treated as heretics who split from Islam and whose beliefs and rituals are deemed beyond the pale of acceptance.
—Güneş Murat Tezcür, The Conversation, 23 July 2025
Young Morrison got a harsh lesson in how things are done in a blue state: Liberal groupthink is gospel, dissenters are heretics who should be hushed.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 28 May 2025
This approach demands that those who were once secular priests—the leaders of the philanthropic sector—abandon their cassocks and accept the mantle of the heretic.
—Mark Malloch-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 15 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for heretic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heretic
Noun
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The Venezuelan regime assassinated dissenters, unlawfully detained opposition leaders (such as Maria Corina Machado), and still holds political prisoners hostage.—
Agustina Vergara Cid,
Oc Register,
7 Jan. 2026
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People have been betrayed by organizations, families and religious groups, which can be harshest on their dissenters.—
Peter Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Then there was his creation of the ad hoc Department of Government Efficiency that fell under the leadership of maverick entrepreneur Elon Musk.—
Frank Miele,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Jan. 2026
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Trump hadn’t hired a kooky, maverick academic who happened to agree with him on tariffs, as has often been suggested.—
Ian Parker,
New Yorker,
22 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Originally designed as a shopping mall in the 1950s, the structure was later taken over by Venezuelan authorities and turned into a detention center, especially under Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, who used it to hold political prisoners and dissidents.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
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Guerrilla organizations such as the ELN and FARC dissidents would also likely seek to preserve – and potentially expand – their control over illicit economies in any future political arrangement.—
Rebecca Hanson,
The Conversation,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Brooks Koepka’s decision to leave LIV Golf years after becoming one of the notable faces to join the renegade league sent shock waves through the sport this week.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
27 Dec. 2025
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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said last month that a Chinese attack on Taiwan — which Beijing claims as a renegade province — could spark a military response from Tokyo, leading to the countries’ worst diplomatic crisis in years.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
9 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The women in her stories feel profound, distinct uncertainty toward convention—less as iconoclasts than fierce individuals.—
Chloe Schama,
Vogue,
26 Dec. 2025
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That is not a slight against Craig, whose ’90s-boy-band bangs and Foghorn Leghorn accent make private detective Benoit Blanc a delightful iconoclast.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Heretic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heretic. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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