partisan 1 of 2

partisan

2 of 2

noun

variants also partizan
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2
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as in sectarian
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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word partisan different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of partisan are adherent, disciple, and follower. While all these words mean "one who gives full loyalty and support to another," partisan suggests a zealous often prejudiced attachment.

partisans of the President

When could adherent be used to replace partisan?

The synonyms adherent and partisan are sometimes interchangeable, but adherent suggests a close and persistent attachment.

adherents to Marxism

When might disciple be a better fit than partisan?

While the synonyms disciple and partisan are close in meaning, disciple implies a devoted allegiance to the teachings of one chosen as a master.

disciples of Gandhi

When can follower be used instead of partisan?

Although the words follower and partisan have much in common, follower may apply to people who attach themselves either to the person or beliefs of another.

an evangelist and his followers

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of partisan
Adjective
These missives forced career civil servants, many of them furloughed, to become unwilling messengers for partisan ends. Stephanie A, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2025 Justice Samuel Alito, for instance, said that seeking a partisan advantage is not the same thing as seeking a racial advantage. Nina Totenberg, NPR, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
Before long, though, partisans on the other side had the inflammatory billboards replaced. Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025 But no less a Republican partisan than Chris Rufo, a man who rarely misses an opportunity to demonize progressives, appears to see something similar. Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for partisan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for partisan
Adjective
  • Among the injuries the child suffered, Hestrin said, were a partial bone fracture of the skull, a brain hemorrhage and injuries to the ribs and legs.
    Madeline Morrison, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2025
  • This means the public will only get a partial truth.
    Kayti Burt, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Academics cite Wallace’s story as one of the catalysts behind a fringe concept that has spread among adherents to the Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, movement and is gaining traction at the highest levels of the federal government.
    Stephanie Armour, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Srinivasan’s Network State—and its core idea of capturing or creating parallel, anti-democratic institutions—was attracting adherents on the tech right.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • While the action-awareness gap isn’t lost on climate crusaders and corporate comptrollers alike, most climate solutions for reduction start with sentience—fashion included, and no, not just in trend forecasting.
    Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The first biography of the writer, and an engaging one at that, the book narrates how a child of privilege evolved into an esteemed naturalist-writer and a crusader for various left-wing causes.
    Maggie Doherty, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The Iraqi prime minister at the time, Nuri al-Maliki, was a Shiite sectarian with close ties to Iran, and many of his fellow Shia thought he could be relied on to listen to Iran’s wishes and find a way to avoid clashing with an Iranian proxy militia.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Both sides insist the other initiated the initial volley of gunfire that killed four agents and six sectarians.
    Joshua Alston, Variety, 12 Apr. 2023
Adjective
  • In response, Stanton told him to go away, using an expletive, and sent a series of hostile messages, as well as one asking to meet in person, the complaint alleges.
    Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
  • But in the best-of-seven ALCS, the Jays needed four starters, so there was Scherzer, making his first appearance of the postseason in a hostile environment with his team needing a win to tie the series with the Seattle Mariners at two games apiece.
    Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Striking these partnerships often requires that a creator have millions of followers, and produce longer-form content with high production value.
    Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2025
  • An official at the Attorney General's office confirmed to Newsweek that the X account, which has 36 followers and has tweeted 577 times was linked to Ray.
    Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Israel said the militants fired on them first, accusing Hamas of breaking the ceasefire.
    Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Tarar said the militants had attempted to attack Pakistan during the ceasefire period, but that Pakistan had repelled the attacks, killing more than 100 fighters.
    Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Shikaki, who has been tracking Palestinian public opinion for decades, said Barghouti is by far the most popular Palestinian leader and the only secular nationalist capable of winning elections.
    Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Sanae Takaichi, the pro-stimulus conservative poised to become Japan’s first female prime minister, is an energetic nationalist with a soft spot for the hard-nosed politics of Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher and the heavy metal music of Iron Maiden.
    Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Partisan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/partisan. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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