partisan 1 of 2

partisan

2 of 2

noun

variants also partizan
1
2
3
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
Those 2011 maps were considered among the most extreme partisan gerrymanders in the country. David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 30 May 2025 Over that same 50 years of executive pushing, pushing, pushing, the partisan primary system was coming into full force after a halting initial implementation. Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 30 May 2025
Noun
However, in their zeal to cut off partisans from future abuse, Congress must be careful not to overcorrect. Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025 But where partisans often employ elements of faith and Christian values for personal or political gain, the pope’s message was based on his deep faith and biblical principles. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for partisan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for partisan
Adjective
  • In the post, the user shared images of what appear to be partial remnants of two archways—one framing the front door and another massive arch along an adjacent wall.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
  • And even before October 2023, Israel and Egypt had imposed a partial blockade on Gaza, meaning that 63% of the population was food insecure, according to the UN.
    Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Noun
  • Here in the first city, the Catholic Church is at an extended crossroads of its own, calling for its leaders and adherents to engage in strategic planning and soul-searching of their own.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 10 May 2025
  • Even conscientious adherents to national security protocols acknowledge that classified U.S. government systems are far from convenient.
    Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 8 May 2025
Noun
  • In the space of a year, the major record labels have shifted from legal crusaders to would-be business partners.
    Virginie Berger, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • If only the show’s many plot twists didn’t limit its parallel accounts of abrasive crusaders navigating a flawed criminal justice system by limiting viewers’ perspective on Merritt (Chloe Pirrie).
    Judy Berman, Time, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • People want to get rid of religious parties, people want to put sectarians behind to build an Iraq for all Iraqis.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 22 May 2015
  • 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
  • That’s coupled with a more hostile political environment for diversity-forward businesses.
    Phoebe Liu, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • The crowd was right on top of you there, the students rimmed the court, the very definition of a hostile environment.
    Jim Calhoun with Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 8 June 2025
Noun
  • The club’s Instagram account has 12 million followers, and most of its players have more than a million followers, led by Trezeguet by 9.7 million.
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 12 June 2025
  • Emily Kim, 34, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, or Em Doodles to her followers, expertly taps into this trend, and has blown up on TikTok for her hilarious and sometimes suspiciously accurate influencer baby name predictions.
    Sophie Liza Cannon, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
Noun
  • Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Hindu nationalist, says his 2019 revocation of Kashmir’s semiautonomous status ended a decades-long separatist insurgency and allowed tourism to flourish, a narrative that was shattered by the attack last month.
    Mushtaq Yusufzai, NBC news, 6 May 2025
  • The next day, the FBI dug up the rear axle of that truck, which eventually led them to Timothy McVeigh, an extreme nationalist angered by the Waco siege two years earlier.
    Laurel Morales, NPR, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Higher wattages make louder and less distorted sounds possible without damaging the speaker.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 6 June 2025
  • The software error could cause the review camera image to become distorted when the car is in reverse, the NHTSA says.
    Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 5 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Partisan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/partisan. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

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