rightist 1 of 2

noun

as in conservative
a person whose political beliefs are centered on tradition and keeping things the way they are rightists opposed the new social programs

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rightist

2 of 2

adjective

as in reactionary

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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 rightist
Noun
That is, rightists who oppose aid to Ukraine tend to be skeptical of Israel and at least open to having anti-Semites in the Republican coalition. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026 Earlier this month, Brazil’s Supreme Court sentenced the rightist Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup following his 2023 election loss. — semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2025 Historians have pointed to Hodge’s early support of reactionary rightists, including industrialists, landlords, and businessmen—people who were associated with Japanese rule. — Kornel Chang september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
As rightist parties surge across the UK, Labour members are betting on Burnham — who easily won a parliamentary seat last week — to salvage their moribund agenda. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 21 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rightist
  1. conservative
  2. reactionary
  3. leftist
  4. excessive
  5. extremist
  6. liberal
Noun
  • Continue reading … WORD PROBLEMS — El-Sayed's threat against GOP rival backfires as conservatives bring receipts.
    — , FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • As a result, observers of the Russia-Ukraine War and supporters of Ukraine will be curious to see what unfolds, particularly as conservatives within the United States continue to reassess their views on the war in Ukraine.
    — Mark Temnycky, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of conservative
Adjective
  • Sadly, there is a large and growing audience for this reactionary analysis.
    — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026
  • Public health cannot operate as a reactionary system that receives attention only during emergencies.
    — Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 24 July 2026
Definition of reactionary
Adjective
  • Closer to home, Spain’s right wing figures targeted Sánchez’s leftist, pro-migrant government when discussing the matter.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 31 July 2026
  • Ahead of November’s midterm elections, Democrats are in the midst of a series of heated primaries across the country, pitting more centrist candidates, often backed by the Party establishment, against leftist opponents.
    — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 30 July 2026
Definition of leftist
Adjective
  • There is a marginal risk of excessive rainfall across all of east Central Florida, according to NWS Melbourne.
    — Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Importantly, the robot maintained stable locomotion throughout testing, showing that the AI controller could effectively harness passive energy stored in the compliant feet without introducing instability or excessive corrective movements.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of excessive
Adjective
  • This is especially true among young people who now spend countless hours on gaming site chatrooms that promote extremist hate and engage with chatbots programmed to maximize engagement, often with harmful consequences.
    — Michael Posner, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • One of his personal highlights was Mark Pellington’s 1999 political thriller Arlington Road, starring Jeff Bridges as a history professor who suspects his neighbor, played by Tim Robbins, of being involved in an anti-government extremist movement.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of extremist
Adjective
  • Sarah Miller, a software engineer from the liberal stronghold of Madison, has heard all of the chatter about a civil war in the Democratic Party between progressives and moderates.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • As the conservative foil to liberal do-gooder Sandy, his wife Kirsten Cohen (played by Kelly Rowan) was a better representation of the upper-crust Newport Beach population in many ways.
    — Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of liberal

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Cite this Entry

“Rightist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rightist. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of rightist for Spanish Speakers

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