as in revolutionaries
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
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Recent Examples of radicals
Schlöndorff sympathized with the anger driving the student movements of the time and pushed back against those condemning the radicals, including German left-wing terrorist group the Red Army Faction, who were using violence to achieve political ends.
—
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
To its members, Latin America’s leaders weren’t revolutionary peers but swarthy radicals.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
By using multiple pulses in a sequence, chemists can study additional properties of radicals that are difficult to see with continuous-wave EPR, says Sideris, who recently moved to Stanford University.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Apr. 2026
Researchers from Japan have developed biocompatible molecular quantum nanosensors (MoQNs) that can measure temperature and detect chemical radicals inside living cells with unprecedented precision.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026
The anti-imperialist upsurge of the 1920s and ’30s was formative for a generation of Latin American radicals.
—Tony Wood, The Conversation, 17 Apr. 2026
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
Now some Republicans are depicting the No Kings movement as a band of radicals, out of step with mainstream political opinion.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
The convergence of Abundance centrists and conservative environmentalists would seem to belie the ACC’s assertion that the environmental movement is dominated by radicals who would rather sabotage the American economy than accept any of the compromises necessary to achieve a prosperous future.
—Gaby Del Valle, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
To its members, Latin America’s leaders weren’t revolutionary peers but swarthy radicals.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
By using multiple pulses in a sequence, chemists can study additional properties of radicals that are difficult to see with continuous-wave EPR, says Sideris, who recently moved to Stanford University.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Apr. 2026
Researchers from Japan have developed biocompatible molecular quantum nanosensors (MoQNs) that can measure temperature and detect chemical radicals inside living cells with unprecedented precision.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026
The anti-imperialist upsurge of the 1920s and ’30s was formative for a generation of Latin American radicals.
—Tony Wood, The Conversation, 17 Apr. 2026
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
Now some Republicans are depicting the No Kings movement as a band of radicals, out of step with mainstream political opinion.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
The convergence of Abundance centrists and conservative environmentalists would seem to belie the ACC’s assertion that the environmental movement is dominated by radicals who would rather sabotage the American economy than accept any of the compromises necessary to achieve a prosperous future.
—Gaby Del Valle, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for radicals
Noun
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In the second half of the 20th century, everyone who was anyone in American culture – from Hollywood icons to presidents and revolutionaries – had their portrait taken by Avedon.—
Sheena McKenzie,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
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In a video message, Rubio discussed the faith of American revolutionaries and the role of Christian missionaries who aimed to spread the Gospel through the country's western expansion.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
Noun
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Her prank of lying in wait for each of her housemates, bombarding them with a Super Soaker, and then enlisting them in her eco-army of Seussian extremists was just pure wonderful delight.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
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For years, Christian clergy who live and work in Jerusalem have reported being frequently spat on, harassed and even physically attacked by Israeli extremists.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Radicals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/radicals. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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