1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

radical 1 of 2

adjective

ˈra-di-kəl How to pronounce radical (audio)
Definition of radicalnext
1
as in extreme
being very far from the center of public opinion the baggy trousers that Amelia Bloomer introduced in the 1850s were considered a radical form of dress for women at the time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in liberal
not bound by traditional ways or beliefs radical proponents of spelling reform would have every word spelled "just the way it sounds"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in wonderful
slang of the very best kind surfing conditions at virtually all of the beaches along the coast were truly radical

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

radical

2 of 2

noun

as in revolutionary
a person who favors rapid and sweeping changes especially in laws and methods of government radicals staged large, violent protests in the hopes of toppling the government

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 radical
Adjective
Preaching indifference to football, however radical that is, played straight into this sensibility. — Jesse Dougherty, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026 The result, Alquézar said, was a culture the team now calls ‘radical transparency,’ in which anyone, from the shore crew to Alquézar himself, can flag a problem directly. — Andrew Rice, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
Political radicals have found purchase in Democratic primaries in part because of disgust with our present system of capitalist greed, self-dealing and multi-card monte with all cards in the president du jour’s hands. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026 There’s an ode to Mary Richardson, the 20th century feminist radical from Mouzourakis’ native Canada. — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for radical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for radical
  1. extreme
  2. liberal
  3. wonderful
  4. revolutionary
  5. rabid
  6. progressive
  7. great
  8. unconventional
Adjective
  • Overdosing on the drug can cause extreme drowsiness, confusion, impaired coordination, decreased reflexes, respiratory depression, coma and possible death.
    — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • In the Rocky Mountains, years of extreme heat and drought have baked the landscape, drying up streams that feed the Colorado River and desiccating pastures where cattle graze.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of extreme
Adjective
  • As November approaches, a liberal alternative to AIPAC in pro-Israel advocacy is ratcheting up its efforts to counter that influence.
    — Praveena Somasundaram, Washington Post, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Other, more liberal candidates, have positioned themselves as willing to stand up and hold Kennedy accountable.
    — Chelsea Cirruzzo, STAT, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of liberal
Adjective
  • That there’s a wonderful wedge salad to brighten up the plate is just icing on the cake.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Ornamental grasses are a wonderful way to spruce up your lawn or add some softness and movement to your garden.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of wonderful
Noun
  • The revolutionaries who led the offensive dominate the seats of power in Tehran.
    — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Centrist Democrats are not socialists, not revolutionaries, and not disposed to blame Zionist conspiracies for every trouble in American life, including police brutality and urban gentrification.
    — David Frum, The Atlantic, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of revolutionary
Adjective
  • Yosemite records few rabid bats, with the last case in 2025, but other national parks have issued rabies alerts within days or weeks, raising fresh questions about Yosemite’s public-health communication.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • This is the first rabid bat reported in the county since 2024, when two bats tested positive for rabies.
    — Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of rabid
Adjective
  • The move signals Johnson will up his effort to reach Chicagoans on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok with his progressive message.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Talarico, a former school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian serving his fourth term in the Texas House of Representatives, made waves in national politics through a combination of progressive values grounded in religious doctrine.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of progressive
Adjective
  • Countries with far smaller digital ecosystems, like Cambodia and Laos, have even greater struggles to attract and retain AI talent.
    — Brian Wong, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The tropical cyclone reached Category 5, defined by sustained winds of 157 mph or greater, overnight Friday before losing some of its steam and settling into Category 4’s limits of sustained winds of 130 to 156 mph by Saturday.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of great
Adjective
  • Screening the electron interactions weakened and ultimately eliminated superconductivity, supporting an unconventional mechanism for electron pairing.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Inspired by the unconventional materials and craftsmanship of studio jewelry, the couple fell in love with art jewelry as collectible material culture.
    — Livia Caligor, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of unconventional

Browse Nearby Words

radiating
radical
radicalism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Radical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/radical. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on radical

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about radical

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of facsimile

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All