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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Recent Examples of purist
For every cultural good, identity has become fused with the object of interest, turning previously normal people leading unremarkable lives into Steak ’n Shake beef-tallow purists, Harry Potter moralists, or cast-iron-pan-cleaning radicals.
—
Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
The rooms Eschewing the predictable Greek island white-on-white aesthetic, the look is more global nomad than Cycladic purist.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026
For today’s Welles purists, that would be the least of their concerns.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2026
The purists will insist that Babe Ruth is rolling in his grave, while the game’s youngest fans probably aren’t listening to them with so many other options for entertainment.
—Abbey Mastracco, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purist
Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
The rooms Eschewing the predictable Greek island white-on-white aesthetic, the look is more global nomad than Cycladic purist.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026
For today’s Welles purists, that would be the least of their concerns.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2026
The purists will insist that Babe Ruth is rolling in his grave, while the game’s youngest fans probably aren’t listening to them with so many other options for entertainment.
—Abbey Mastracco, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purist
Noun
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So, that’s something for football fanatics, hoops heads and soccer aficionados.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2026
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio said radical religious fanatics leading Iran can’t be trusted with a nuclear weapon after attacking embassies and hotels during the war.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Among the participants were socialists, ex-royalists, liberals, feminists, and nationalists.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
4 Apr. 2026
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Encouraged and aided by independent neighbours, Guinean nationalists took up arms in 1962 and after 10 years of fighting expelled the Portuguese from three-quarters of Portuguese Guinea.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Purist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purist. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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