as in fanatics
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 purists
The purists were busy splitting hella hairs over the distinction between rap and real hip-hop.
—
Rodney Carmichael, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
Yet even when considering all the superyacht trappings, purists like Coles remain unconvinced.
—Chrissie McClatchie, Robb Report, 27 Sep. 2025
But Anderson knows that, amid clashing political extremes, racial and ideological purists can make surprising, and treacherous, bedfellows.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
There’s certainly a case where purists may not like some, or all, of these changes.
—Hayes Madsen, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025
Ultimately, prediction markets represent paradise for free market purists who have long extolled the merits of light-touch management of the global economy.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2025
By the time Dylan arrived at the festival site on July 25, battle lines were already being drawn between purists and progressives.
—Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
Pub purists, meanwhile, are cringing.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
In a recent interview, Wright shared his thoughts on the controversy generated by comic book purists who were critical of his casting for a role that had been played by white men previously.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
Rodney Carmichael, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
Yet even when considering all the superyacht trappings, purists like Coles remain unconvinced.
—Chrissie McClatchie, Robb Report, 27 Sep. 2025
But Anderson knows that, amid clashing political extremes, racial and ideological purists can make surprising, and treacherous, bedfellows.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
There’s certainly a case where purists may not like some, or all, of these changes.
—Hayes Madsen, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025
Ultimately, prediction markets represent paradise for free market purists who have long extolled the merits of light-touch management of the global economy.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2025
By the time Dylan arrived at the festival site on July 25, battle lines were already being drawn between purists and progressives.
—Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
Pub purists, meanwhile, are cringing.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
In a recent interview, Wright shared his thoughts on the controversy generated by comic book purists who were critical of his casting for a role that had been played by white men previously.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purists
Noun
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As steadfast as the Deadheads are, though, hardcore Metallica fanatics may be even more extreme.—
Paul Liberatore,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
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Black Sheep Coffee plans to keep fueling the coffee fanatics in the South, too.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Though the Cuban nationalists’ victory was all but assured, the United States entered the fray and swiftly imposed a military occupation over the island.—
Miriam Pensack,
The Dial,
30 Sep. 2025
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In the mid-1930s, the Spanish Civil War between the fascist forces of Franco and the nationalists was a harbinger that a second general European war lay just over the horizon.—
Christopher C. Gorham
September 29,
Literary Hub,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Purists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purists. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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