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Definition of extremistnext
as in radical
being very far from the center of public opinion their extremist views on religious issues set them apart from the rest of the community

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extremist

2 of 2

noun

as in revolutionary
a person who favors rapid and sweeping changes especially in laws and methods of government extremists wanted to do away with everything, even though they had no thought-out plan for what to do afterwards

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 extremist
Adjective
It was widely attributed to the same extremist collective, though not claimed explicitly by the Vulkangruppe. Anna Noryskiewicz, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026 Local officials have attributed the power outage to an arson attack from The Vulkangruppe (The Volcano Group), a left-wing extremist group. Sam Meredith, CNBC, 5 Jan. 2026 The account’s display name referenced Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the former leader of the extremist group. Gary D. Robertson, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026 While those groups are not synonymous with ISIS, experts say the incomplete dismantling of extremist networks has left gaps that ISIS cells continue to exploit. Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025 Directed by Shen Ao, the film follows a foreign correspondent, his wife and an engineer who are abducted by an extremist group while on assignment abroad, starring Yang Xiao, Xi Qi and Simon Yam. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 29 Dec. 2025 The other geopolitical concern on the agenda Monday was Syria, as its new president, Ahmed al Sharaa, a former al Qaeda jihadist who helped topple his predecessor, Bashar Assad, grapples with more extremist forces in his country. Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 29 Dec. 2025 But experts tell us that extremist groups in Nigeria have been indiscriminate in their violence. ABC News, 28 Dec. 2025 Nigeria’s government has previously said in response to Trump’s criticisms that people of many faiths, not just Christians, have suffered attacks at the hands of extremist groups. Fortune, 26 Dec. 2025
Noun
In Africa, extremists exploit ungoverned water scarcity to recruit and control populations. Ian Bremmer, Time, 6 Jan. 2026 The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil-rights group, has designated Tuberville as an anti-Muslim extremist based on past statements. Safiyah Riddle, Fortune, 2 Jan. 2026 The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil rights group, has designated Tuberville as an anti-Muslim extremist based on past statements. Safiyah Riddle, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026 With no escape, the young band members (played by Anton Yelchin, Alia Shawkat, Joe Cole, and Callum Turner) are forced into a vicious fight for survival against merciless extremists, led by Patrick Stewart's sinister Darcy Banker. Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Dec. 2025 Violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has continued to escalate for months as mobs of settler extremists attempt to force the civilians out of their homes, clashing with Israel Defense Forces personnel sent to quell the crowds at times. Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 31 Dec. 2025 Izhar Khan/Getty New South Wales Premier Chris Minns had urged Sydney residents not to stay away due to fear, saying extremists would interpret smaller crowds at New Year's Eve festivities as a victory. CBS News, 31 Dec. 2025 The small Christian community in the West Bank is facing increasing threats of extremism from various sides, including both Israeli settlers and Palestinian extremists, prompting them to escape the region. Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025 The ruin that remained in Afghanistan gave rise to the control of Islamic extremists known as the Taliban. Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extremist
Adjective
  • The radical republic that replaced it bore little resemblance to the partner of 1778, having descended into chaos, executions, and ideological extremism that threatened neighboring states.
    Daniel Ross Goodman, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Such a gambit could well spell the end of NATO, as Denmark’s leader has warned, or at least its radical transformation, and test European unity, with huge implications for the continent’s security.
    Comfort Ero, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Her lead performance as Willa, the daughter of underground revolutionaries, has earned Infiniti nominations among multiple voting bodies including her first recognition at the Golden Globes.
    Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
  • The daughter of a Marxist revolutionary, Rodríguez relentlessly defended the Maduro regime against accusations of drug-trafficking and election-stealing.
    CNN.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • An extreme cold watch is issued when dangerously cold air temperatures or wind chill values are possible.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Here, sea level rise is accelerating at some of the most extreme rates on Earth, while hurricanes increasingly are swirling ashore with an unprecedented ferociousness.
    Amy Green, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Scenario two is that Harbaugh is leveraging the Giants’ rabid interest but ultimately could take a different job, devastating this desperate fan base.
    Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Henry’s novels — and this book in particular — have a rabid fanbase, which meant there were plenty of opinions online about who should play the two leads Alex and Poppy.
    Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 7 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Extremist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extremist. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

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