Synonyms of zealot

zealot

noun

ˈze-lət 

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

• partisan
• militant
• crusader
• activist
• fanatic
• ideologue
• advocate
• supporter
• dreamer
• fan
• lover
• true believer
• disciple
• champion
• promoter
• enthusiast
• red hot
• idealist
• follower
• devotee
• patron
• visionary
• maniac
• evangelist
• sucker
• cultist
• junkie
• apostle
• aficionado
• addict
• freak
• fool
• buff
• votary
• fiend
• nut
• bug
• stalwart
• hound
• hanger-on
• booster
• backer
• maven
• fancier
• habitué
• faddist
• idolizer
• head
• well-wisher
• rooter

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dilettante
• dabbler
• nonmilitant

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of zealot

Coverage of the story dovetailed with a hail of memes and insinuations online that Crockett is a zealot or a pretend cowboy out of his depth. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026

Democrats looking for a way to reclaim their party can find inspiration in the career of Neil Kinnock, who in the mid-1980s rescued the British Labour Party from a determined band of sectarian zealots. — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026

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