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
The steamy trailer, featuring a soundtrack by Charli xcx, has swooning fans and literature purists polarized.
—
Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
Hiking purists must endure around 300 miles of road walks, but Greg chose to chart his own course.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2026
The passion-purist who built their entire identity on one pursuit and now has no room for anything else.
—John Winsor, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Any coaching purist will tell you that’s the benchmark aspiration.
—Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purist
Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
Hiking purists must endure around 300 miles of road walks, but Greg chose to chart his own course.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2026
The passion-purist who built their entire identity on one pursuit and now has no room for anything else.
—John Winsor, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Any coaching purist will tell you that’s the benchmark aspiration.
—Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purist
Noun
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Sports fanatics might take in a game at one of America’s classic ballparks.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
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The way football is broadcast manages to obliterate any difference between an informal consumer and a face-painting fanatic.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, displays a historic flag outside his office on Capitol Hill that in recent years has been embraced by Christian nationalists.—
Hillary Rodham Clinton,
The Atlantic,
29 Jan. 2026
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And also to warn about bloodshed if civil war follows regime change, bloodshed between nationalists and those who’ve had enough of being tied to a constantly unstable country.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Purist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purist. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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