variants
also partizans
1
as in adherents
one who follows the opinions or teachings of another
partisans of the charismatic leader refuse to tolerate any criticism of him at all
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in militants
one who is intensely or excessively devoted to a cause
a partisan of the revolution who was even willing to give her life for it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sectarians
one who stubbornly or intolerantly adheres to his or her own opinions and prejudices
she's too much of a political partisan to ever concede that the other side might have a valid point
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of partisans
Most typically vote like partisans, in favor of their preferred party.
—
Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 16 Feb. 2026
As one Texas insider explained to me, Cornyn is the national candidate who isn’t exactly loved at home, while Paxton draws adoration from partisans at home who may show up to send a message that what’s happening in Washington is not to their tastes.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
Political partisans tend to behave in a partisan way—even if that partisanship is disguised as apolitical, Christian living.
—Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Good and bad ideas come from all sides of the political spectrum, and hyper-partisans who don’t understand that are unable to see the full range of options when making public policy.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 2026
Motele, whose parents were murdered by the Nazis, escaped into the forest and joined a group of Jewish partisans.
—Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 27 Jan. 2026
Reaching new voters Most Democrats accept Texas’ GOP tilt, saying their best chance lies in attracting more younger voters, disaffected nonvoters, teachers, service workers and soft partisans who often skip nonpresidential elections.
—Karen Brooks Harper, Dallas Morning News, 10 Jan. 2026
The perception is that only like-minded DeSantis partisans, preferably with inside connections, need apply.
—Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026
The perception is that only like-minded DeSantis partisans need apply — what Askew tried to prevent.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2026
Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 16 Feb. 2026
As one Texas insider explained to me, Cornyn is the national candidate who isn’t exactly loved at home, while Paxton draws adoration from partisans at home who may show up to send a message that what’s happening in Washington is not to their tastes.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
Political partisans tend to behave in a partisan way—even if that partisanship is disguised as apolitical, Christian living.
—Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Good and bad ideas come from all sides of the political spectrum, and hyper-partisans who don’t understand that are unable to see the full range of options when making public policy.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 2026
Motele, whose parents were murdered by the Nazis, escaped into the forest and joined a group of Jewish partisans.
—Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 27 Jan. 2026
Reaching new voters Most Democrats accept Texas’ GOP tilt, saying their best chance lies in attracting more younger voters, disaffected nonvoters, teachers, service workers and soft partisans who often skip nonpresidential elections.
—Karen Brooks Harper, Dallas Morning News, 10 Jan. 2026
The perception is that only like-minded DeSantis partisans, preferably with inside connections, need apply.
—Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026
The perception is that only like-minded DeSantis partisans need apply — what Askew tried to prevent.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for partisans
Noun
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Tied heavily to the moon's phases, the Lunar New Year has commenced this week as adherents usher in the Year of the Horse with a variety of cultural traditions.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
-
For its adherents, the sport always boils down to calculations of risk.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The president cheered brokering a fragile ceasefire deal in Gaza and his team’s bringing home hostages taken by Hamas militants, capturing autocratic leader Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and pressing fellow NATO members to increase defense spending among his biggest wins.—
Aamer Madhani,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
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Pakistan's military, in a statement, said 26 militants, including at least one Afghan, were killed in four separate operations in North Waziristan, Lakki Marwat, Bannu and Mir Ali districts in restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in recent days, near the Afghan border.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Collectively the cast commands more than 18 million social media followers, reflecting Filmbarr’s strategy of aligning traditional genre storytelling with strong digital reach.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
24 Feb. 2026
-
In March 2025, LeClaire posted a video warning her followers about the deepfake that had been circulating of her.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The new estimate does correct odd results from some states — activists said that the agency’s initial assumptions for Florida, for example, seemed far too high.—
Michael Phillis,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
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Leaders of the California Democratic Party, along with liberal activists and loyal power brokers, are openly expressing fear that their crowded field of candidates running for governor may splinter the vote and open the door to a surprise Republican victory in November.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Online, true crime fanatics have parsed through information about the case — filling in the limited details with rumor, innuendo and sometimes downright conspiracy.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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Still, blues fans may delight at seeing close-ups of vintage album covers of greats like Lonnie Johnson or Blind Lemon Jefferson, while Elvis fanatics will recognize the King’s 1957 movie musical, Loving You, which Cook watches dubbed in German at Vienna’s Kinokulturhaus.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The only difference is former Packers executive Ron Wolf and his disciples did a better job identifying talents such as Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love while the best quarterbacks Miami landed during that exact same stretch were Chad Henne, Ryan Tannehill and Tagovailoa.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
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Jesus also washed the feet of his disciples and shared a foreshadowing of Judas’ betrayal at the Garden of Gethsemane.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Kennedy has stocked key public health advisory committees with anti-vax crusaders.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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To now endure censure by overzealous anti-Pretendian crusaders, and banishment by bureaucratic tribal decrees and reactionary blood-quantum rules, feels particularly bitter.—
David Treuer,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Many Christian nationalists believe in erasing the boundaries between church and state, Andrew Whitehead, an associate professor of sociology at Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, previously told USA TODAY.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
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The rise of unabashed Christian nationalists is their legacy.—
Hillary Rodham Clinton,
The Atlantic,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Partisans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/partisans. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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