as in loyalists
a person who loves his or her country and supports its interests and policies
the contention that true patriots would be willing to do anything for their country
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Recent Examples of patriots
Liu's win on Thursday has ensured Gu will ski upon the backdrop of viral, and often unflattering, comparisons to Liu by American patriots on social media.
—
Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 21 Feb. 2026
These immigration and customs enforcement officers are red-blooded American patriots doing a tough job to keep our nation safe.
—Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 8 Jan. 2026
The lunatics who attacked the seat of government to try to change the outcome of a free and fair election are not patriots.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 6 Jan. 2026
At the core of this extremism is the dangerous view that the founders viewed aggrieved citizens who attack the government through armed violence as righteous patriots, rather than the enemies of the state.
—Douglas Letter, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
The J6ers were not insurrectionists, traitors, and miscreants but patriots, heroes, and innocents.
—Jamie Thompson, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
The American patriots who showed up on January 6 were doing their duty as citizens to ensure the will of the people was exercised.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Another man, older by six years, argued with fellow patriots in a Hong Kong café.
—Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
Boston is the city where patriots rebelled against the English Crown and began the American Revolution.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 11 Aug. 2025
Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 21 Feb. 2026
These immigration and customs enforcement officers are red-blooded American patriots doing a tough job to keep our nation safe.
—Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 8 Jan. 2026
The lunatics who attacked the seat of government to try to change the outcome of a free and fair election are not patriots.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 6 Jan. 2026
At the core of this extremism is the dangerous view that the founders viewed aggrieved citizens who attack the government through armed violence as righteous patriots, rather than the enemies of the state.
—Douglas Letter, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
The J6ers were not insurrectionists, traitors, and miscreants but patriots, heroes, and innocents.
—Jamie Thompson, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
The American patriots who showed up on January 6 were doing their duty as citizens to ensure the will of the people was exercised.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Another man, older by six years, argued with fellow patriots in a Hong Kong café.
—Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
Boston is the city where patriots rebelled against the English Crown and began the American Revolution.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patriots
Noun
-
That would put the DOJ antitrust investigation starting around the time an anti-Netflix report by a Heritage Foundation spin-off was sent to GOP senators and MAGA loyalists early this month.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
22 Feb. 2026
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Even more important than retaining loyalists, as the Post’s recent history proves, is not deliberately antagonizing them or your own talent.—
John Williams,
The Atlantic,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Schwörer noted that in Spain or Portugal, the right-wing nationalists might defend the right to hunt and hold a bullfight.—
Daniel Engber,
The Atlantic,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Patriots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patriots. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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