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
So what do those partisans want?
—
Anthony Salvanto, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
Millions of Democrats in Texas, Republicans in California and partisans in other states have been effectively disenfranchised, their voices rendered mute.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026
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
Anthony Salvanto, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
Millions of Democrats in Texas, Republicans in California and partisans in other states have been effectively disenfranchised, their voices rendered mute.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for partisans
Noun
-
Aleph and other Jewish chaplaincy groups say the chaplaincy system is being undermined by the Messianic movement, whose adherents may identify as Jews but are not recognized as such by any denomination of Judaism.—
Asaf Elia-Shalev,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Successful outreach requires making effort to understand how religious adherents think, acknowledging their concerns, and humbly recognizing that medical knowledge is shaped by more than mere empiricism.—
Cory Anderson,
STAT,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In southern Lebanon, Hezbollah militants backed by Iran have been firing rockets at Israel in retaliation for Israel’s war in Iran.—
Greg Dixon,
NPR,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The crisis has worsened recently to include other militants from the neighboring Sahel region, including the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, which claimed its first attack on Nigerian soil last year.—
Dyepkazah Shibayan,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Around the time the account hit 50,000 followers, Van der Velden announced that several talent agents were interested in representing Tilly.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Lighthouse Studios’ first major effort is a partnership with director and creator Cole Bennett’s Lyrical Lemonade digital media venture that has more than 24 million YouTube followers.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That change is not likely to sit well with immigration attorneys and immigrant rights activists.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
15 Mar. 2026
-
There are cries from activists to set Wikie and Keijo free, but they were born in captivity and lack the skills necessary to survive.—
Valerie Greene,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
If so, that advice was not followed by the pro-Khamenei fanatics who turned out thousands of Iranians to support their new leader, who could be taken out like his father was.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Pollen season is more than a nuisance for clean-car fanatics.—
Nancy Badertscher,
AJC.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
After playing multiple years in coordinator Vic Fangio’s defenses with the Dolphins and Eagles, Phillips will play for Ejiro Evero, who was Fangio’s assistant in 2014 and coached under one of his disciples, Brandon Staley.—
Ted Nguyen,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The other emerged from Jewish disciples of Jesus, eventually becoming Christianity, carrying the ethical inheritance of the Hebrew Scriptures across civilizations.—
Calev Myers,
New York Daily News,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But the 76-year-old congressman from New York is one of Washington’s few prominent crusaders against the sports-betting industry.—
McKay Coppins,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Kennedy has stocked key public health advisory committees with anti-vax crusaders.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
From late Qing reformers inspired by Athenian citizenship to nationalists who draw on Plato to bolster China’s political ideology, Bartsch shows how supple ancient texts are in the hands of interpreters.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
-
For one, Pashtun nationalists will always have problems with a border that slices their heartland in two.—
Mihir Sharma,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Partisans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/partisans. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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