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
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Recent Examples of zealot
That title goes to the government of messianic zealots, Arab-hating nationalists and anti-modern ultra-Orthodox Israelis put together by Netanyahu to keep himself in power.
—
Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2026
His detractors call him a zealot.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Public health often responds that MAHA supporters like Elizabeth, Melinda, and Nancy have been hoodwinked by social media influencers, grifters, and anti-vaccine zealots.
—Tom W. Johnson, STAT, 26 Jan. 2026
There is no denying that Friend was a religious zealot who had some very extreme ideas (which will be explored in this book).
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for zealot
Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2026
His detractors call him a zealot.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Public health often responds that MAHA supporters like Elizabeth, Melinda, and Nancy have been hoodwinked by social media influencers, grifters, and anti-vaccine zealots.
—Tom W. Johnson, STAT, 26 Jan. 2026
There is no denying that Friend was a religious zealot who had some very extreme ideas (which will be explored in this book).
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for zealot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zealot
Noun
-
La Foce, a beautiful estate owned by the Origo family, who cultivated the gardens and harbored partisans during the Second World War, is a 15-minute drive away.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Primaries can sometimes be a collective balancing act for voters, between what partisans want in a candidate and the strategic approach of anticipating what the wider electorate might want in a candidate.—
Anthony Salvanto,
CBS News,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Israel, meanwhile, saw Nasser’s rising influence across the Arab world as a danger, and wanted an excuse to cut him down, and to target Palestinian fedayeen militants who were operating in Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula, which were both controlled by Egypt at the time.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Israel’s war with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon also is intensifying, while the disruption of the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf has upended the global economy.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Anti-porn crusaders of all ilks also hijacked the news of Radvinsky’s passing for their various pro-censorship agendas.—
Gustavo Turner,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Unfortunately, the garbage that RFK spewed during his time as a private sector anti-vaccine crusader and is now trying to make government policy has had vaccine skepticism growing nationwide, with deadly consequences.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
If Aaron is successful, the court will set a precedent that will not only protect him but may also shield other activists and developers from censorship and prosecution.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
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Historians, educators, activists and politicians for far too long elevated Chávez above Huerta in the name of a simplistic narrative that should’ve never been constructed.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said radical religious fanatics leading Iran can’t be trusted with a nuclear weapon after attacking embassies and hotels during the war.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Attention discounted shoe shopping fanatics.—
Olivia Evans,
Louisville Courier Journal,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Zealot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zealot. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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