zealot

noun

ˈze-lət How to pronounce zealot (audio)
Definition of zealotnext
as in partisan
one who is intensely or excessively devoted to a cause zealots on both sides of the issue resorted to name-calling and scare tactics

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 zealot Traditional safety zealot Phil Koopman points out that the public would not accept a system that cuts fatalities by 80% but the remaining ones are all children. — Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 Garrett says the new protocols acknowledge that academic institutions have the responsibility to take steps for the safety of their researchers and protect them from potentially dangerous interactions with conspiracy theorists and other reactionary zealots. — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 12 June 2026 March 13, 2026 For Gen Z neophytes and hardcore fans overseas (South Asian and Nigerian Mike zealots apparently have a lot to say on the matter), the idea of MJ/Prince ever being a rivalry is laughable. — Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 7 June 2026 The drama takes place in a dystopian future where the American government has been overthrown by evangelical religious zealots. — Tanya Melendez, Entertainment Weekly, 25 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for zealot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zealot
  1. partisan
  2. militant
  3. crusader
  4. activist
  5. fanatic
Noun
  • Republicans at the hearing sought to portray Smith as a partisan who abused his authority to target Republicans.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Eventually, Sinclair partisans took matters into their own hands by heckling the fake newsreels and disrupting screenings.
    — Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of partisan
Noun
  • Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan's Taliban government of sheltering militants responsible for cross-border attacks.
    — MUNIR AHMED, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Israelis were targeted in a string of hijackings and airplane attacks by Palestinian militants in the 1960s and 1970s.
    — Samy Magdy, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of militant
Noun
  • This isn't Cloud's first time acting as a courtside moral crusader, either.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The star has dedicated himself with the fervor of a holy crusader to the notion that, to quote his ex-wife, we are not just entertained but reborn when the lights go down and our collective dreams show up onscreen.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of crusader
Noun
  • Though homosexuality is legal in Turkey, authorities have carried out coordinated raids targeting LGBTQ advocacy organizations and activists across multiple cities, leading to mass arrests and detentions.
    — Mick Krever, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The fresh wave of anger comes after protests in recent years against overtourism in Barcelona, where activists say a surge in apartments being used for short-term vacation rentals has contributed to a shortage of affordable housing.
    — Jamie Gray, NBC news, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of activist
Noun
  • Slow Horses fanatics will recognize her as one of the veteran MI5 operatives stuck in the agency’s version of purgatory, known as Slough House.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2026
  • Nineteen fanatics, acting in the name of Islam, killed 2,997 innocent men, women and children in New York City, in Washington, and on airplanes turned into weapons of mass murder.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of fanatic

Browse Nearby Words

zeal
zealot
zealotry
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Cite this Entry

“Zealot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zealot. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on zealot

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about zealot

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