purist

as in fanatic
a person who has very strong ideas about what is correct or acceptable and who usually opposes changes to traditional methods and practices a new style of play that offended the sport's purists a language purist who is always looking to correct the speech of others

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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 purist Good news for coffee purists—taking your joe black is associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025 That, of course, will infuriate Big Six purists who hate all things about the Sun Belt’s decade-long dominance of the NHL. Adam H. Beasley, Miami Herald, 18 June 2025 While some purists worry that complexity will undermine Bitcoin’s resilience, others argue that expanding its utility is essential to staying relevant. Becca Bratcher, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025 In late-night talk-show writers rooms, the true comedy purists have long pleaded for evergreen rather than topical jokes, but riffing off the news pays off. Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for purist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purist
Noun
  • Add in continuous deals between F1 and ESPN, and the support for F1 has transformed everyday Americans into fanatics, doubling viewership and turning already big names in the sport into bonafide global celebrities.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2025
  • The Brad Pitt film from Top Gun: Maverick filmmaker Joseph Kosinski would attract new fans to the sport, while F1 fanatics would flock to theaters and boost the box office.
    Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • In the 1960s, Canada’s nationalists feared America’s power—its military strength, yes, but also its cultural cohesion—and wanted to form a corresponding Canadian identity.
    Stephen Marche, The Atlantic, 1 July 2025
  • Hegseth’s membership in a church that belongs to the CREC drew attention because prominent members of the church identify as Christian nationalists, and because of its positions on issues concerning gender, sexuality and the separation of church and state.
    Samuel Perry, The Conversation, 20 June 2025

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“Purist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purist. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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