RIGHTIST Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

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

Incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had avoided debating challenger Flávio Bolsonaro — the son of a former president jailed for staging a coup — but the rightist’s first-round victory put the president on the back foot. — semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026 In fact, he’s decided to go all the way from an angry leftist to a very angry rightist. — NBC news, 30 Aug. 2026 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 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 While America First drew supporters from across the political spectrum, it was most associated with rightists. — Justin Elliott, ProPublica, 26 Oct. 2022

Adjective

Polls showed Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and rightist challenger Flávio Bolsonaro were in effect tied ahead of Sunday’s runoff, with the result potentially coming down to which candidate’s supporters stay away from the ballot box. — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026 Israel launched the war in response to an October 2023 invasion by Hamas which blindsided Netanyahu’s religious-rightist government. — Dan Williams, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rightist

Noun

Hawley and a small group of conservatives spent hours huddled with Republicans in the Old Senate Chamber arguing for a delay in leadership elections to allow the party to consider alternative candidates.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Nov. 2026
White conservatives have dominated Mississippi’s Statehouse and congressional delegation ever since.

— Corey Williams, Los Angeles Times, 13 Nov. 2026

Definition of conservative

Adjective

Everyone but damn Victor is playing in a real reactionary way.

— Alice Burton, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026
Surprisingly, for a painting often dismissed as conservative and reactionary, some of the first adopters of its form were Black urban artists who saw the painting in Chicago in the 1930s.

— Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of reactionary

Adjective

Among those vying to replace him are Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Rally party, and Jen-Luc Melenchon, the leader of the leftist France Unbowed party.

— David Brennan, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026
El-Sayed, 42, is a former Michigan health official who ran on a leftist platform and became a target of the right in the Great Lakes State and beyond.

— Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of leftist

Adjective

The lack of transparency in the incentives’ application process, alongside excessive bureaucracy and uncertainty, remain issues, although Japanese industry folk have similar complaints about applying for export support.

— Gavin J Blair, HollywoodReporter, 2 Nov. 2026
The Wolf of Wall Street, the Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie movie about Belfort’s wild and excessive life as a New York stockbroker and boiler room boss, was released through Paramount Pictures.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of excessive

Adjective

Police are also looking into whether the suspect had any links to extremist groups or was working with anyone else, according to Kierwinski.

— Somayeh Malekian, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2026
There was relative stability in Deir Jarir, a town of some 6,000 northeast of Ramallah, residents say, before extremist neighbors moved in and began descending weekly to terrorize the community below, with near-total impunity.

— Suheir Hashimeh, Washington Post, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of extremist

Adjective

But the mood about data centers and AI has turned negative in both liberal and conservative circles.

— Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 13 Nov. 2026
Where liberal thought had banished the criterion of revenge from all considerations of justice, a politics of purity had brought it back.

— Dominic Erdozain, Time, 12 Nov. 2026

Definition of liberal

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“Rightist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rightist. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of rightist

noun

adjective

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