Synonyms for

Extremists

Verb / eˈkstri:mʌsts / / eˈkstri:mɪsts / Another word for extremists — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

Extremists are people who hold extreme political or religious views and are willing to use violent or illegal means to achieve their goals.

Synonyms & similar words

extremist fanatics radicals zealots fundamentalists activists militants terrorists insurgents rebels extremists revolutionaries separatists sectarians partisans subversives ultraconservatives ultraliberals anarchists nihilists

Synonyms by register

Formal

radicals zealots fanatics purists

Informal

diehards hardliners nuts cranks

Literary

firebrands mavericks

Antonyms

moderates centrists liberals conservatives realists pragmatists

Common collocations

  • political extremists
  • religious extremists
  • economic extremists
  • extremists group
  • extremists views
  • violent extremists
  • Islamic extremists

Word family

noun extremism
adjective extreme
adverb extremely

Usage note

Often carries a negative connotation, implying adherence to beliefs or actions far outside the mainstream. Can be used to describe individuals or groups with intense, often uncompromising, ideologies.

Example sentences

  1. Extremists do not represent the majority of the population.
  2. The government is cracking down on extremists in the country.
  3. The extremists' actions were condemned by the international community.
  4. The extremist group was responsible for the bombing.
  5. The extremists' ideology is based on hate and intolerance.

Quotes

  • The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. - Edmund Burke
  • Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. - Isaac Asimov
  • The fanatic is incorruptible: if he kills for an idea, he can just as well get himself killed for one; in either case, tyrant or martyr, he is a monster. - E.M. Cioran

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