as in partial
inclined to favor one side over another
a shamelessly partisan reporter covering the primary campaign
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also partizan
1
as in adherent
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in militant
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 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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of partisan
U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
There were attacks on free speech and attacks in the partisan media.
—Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez, Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for partisan
Adjective
Tedious partisan congressional bickering would have delayed and telegraphed our plans.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
There were attacks on free speech and attacks in the partisan media.
—Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez, Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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
See All Example Sentences for partisan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for partisan
Adjective
-
In February, Congress passed legislation that ended the partial federal government shutdown and also contained provisions addressing PBM transparency and business practices.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
-
House Republicans said federal money may be held up by the partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, caused by Democrats insisting restrictions be placed on Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.—
Graham Dunbar,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For decades, skiing in the backcountry – far from chairlifts, parking lots and the apres-ski bar scene – was the domain of only the most dedicated, or the most anti-corporate, adherents of the sport.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Around 3 in 10 Americans are adherents of or sympathetic to Christian nationalism, the belief that America is or should be a Christian nation, according to data published in February by the Public Religion Research Institute.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Israel has since killed more than 72,000 Palestinians in Gaza, nearly half of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry, which is under Gaza’s Hamas government and which does not distinguish between militants and civilians.—
Adam Geller,
Fortune,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Northern Nigeria is in the grip of a complex security crisis featuring both Islamic militants operating in the northeast and armed criminal gangs kidnapping people for ransom who have wrecked havoc in the northwest and north-central regions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Mar. 2026
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
-
This time, the report suggests that Cosco’s ownership stake would vary by port and that some terminals in jurisdictions hostile to China could be carved out.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Mar. 2026
-
While the industry has not in recent memory suffered a major disruption due to a hostile attack, smaller-scale DDoS attacks, as well as ransomware attacks, have disrupted pockets of the market.—
Reuters
Wire Service,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Shrink the Win Stop measuring success in sales or followers or awards.—
JD Barker,
Rolling Stone,
2 Mar. 2026
-
After sending the video to his mother, Spencer posted it on Instagram, to his thirty-six followers.—
John Kenney,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Last year, it was also accused of killing Uruapan mayor Carlos Manzo, a known crusader against organized crime in Mexico.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Kennedy has stocked key public health advisory committees with anti-vax crusaders.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The real divide in Europe’s tech debate, then, is not between optimists and pessimists, or nationalists and globalists.—
Wolfgang Oels,
Fortune,
1 Mar. 2026
-
His visit is the latest olive branch from Washington to a network of hard-line nationalists across Europe, with Vice President JD Vance shattering norms last year by meeting with leaders from Germany’s far-right AfD party.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Partisan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/partisan. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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