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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of extremist
Terell Bailey, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
The Justice Department alleges that the civil rights group known as the SPLC improperly raised millions of dollars to secretly pay leaders of the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist and extremist groups for inside information.
—Beth Gazley, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2026
This came during a podcast with the founder of an extremist group known then as Defend East County.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
The indictment came shortly after SPLC revealed the existence of a criminal investigation into its program to pay informants to infiltrate extremist groups and gather information on their activities.
—Collin Binkley, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Authorities later determined that the attack was timed to coincide with the second anniversary of the Waco siege, an event that fueled McVeigh's extremist beliefs.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026
On Tuesday, the Justice Department went a step further and asked a federal appeals court to throw out the seditious conspiracy convictions of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers leaders who were sentenced to prison terms for leading members of the far-right extremist groups in the attack.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Trump previously gave these members of extremist groups commutations instead of full pardons.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 16 Apr. 2026
Israel’s head of state publicly acknowledged the partnership between Israel and Diaspora Jewry, recognized that Jewish-extremist violence damages both Israel and Jews around the world, and thanked Diaspora Jews for engaging.
—Mick Davis, Sun Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026
Molly Quell, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Conservative activists said the group was intentionally − and unfairly − labeling mainstream political and religious organizations as extremist, raising concerns about political bias.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
Vulnerable rural communities regularly come under fire from Islamic extremists and bandits who take advantage of Nigeria’s vast rural areas and security gaps.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
The Associated Press reported that Algerian authorities rejected a Vatican request for Leo to visit Médéa to pray at the Tibhirine monastery, the place where seven French Trappist monks were kidnapped and killed May 21, 1996, by Islamic extremists during the country’s civil war.
—Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026
Modern extremists aren’t known for their love of Broadway, but a song about impressing a girl by killing a president takes on new meaning when sung from the lips of a social media loner.
—Charles Lewis Iii, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026
Violent extremists feasted on this great replacement propaganda, using it to justify terror attacks across the West.
—Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
Yet Ali’s act does not only evoke terrorist incidents such as the Charlie Hebdo attack, perpetrated by Muslim extremists, just a few months prior to The Red Chador.
—H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 31 Mar. 2026
The Italian metal extremist has been going down a rabbit hole of his own with a series of highly technical I, Voidhanger releases marked by extraterrestrial synth work and winding, stop-on-a-dime riffs.
—Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
The Anti-Defamation League says its Center on Extremism is investigating to see if the two 19-year-olds arrested have ties to any extremist groups.
—Terell Bailey, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
The Justice Department alleges that the civil rights group known as the SPLC improperly raised millions of dollars to secretly pay leaders of the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist and extremist groups for inside information.
—Beth Gazley, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2026
This came during a podcast with the founder of an extremist group known then as Defend East County.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
The indictment came shortly after SPLC revealed the existence of a criminal investigation into its program to pay informants to infiltrate extremist groups and gather information on their activities.
—Collin Binkley, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Authorities later determined that the attack was timed to coincide with the second anniversary of the Waco siege, an event that fueled McVeigh's extremist beliefs.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026
On Tuesday, the Justice Department went a step further and asked a federal appeals court to throw out the seditious conspiracy convictions of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers leaders who were sentenced to prison terms for leading members of the far-right extremist groups in the attack.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Trump previously gave these members of extremist groups commutations instead of full pardons.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 16 Apr. 2026
Israel’s head of state publicly acknowledged the partnership between Israel and Diaspora Jewry, recognized that Jewish-extremist violence damages both Israel and Jews around the world, and thanked Diaspora Jews for engaging.
—Mick Davis, Sun Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
Reparations will support education, economic aid and mental health services, with programs specifically targeting women and girls who endured systematic persecution by extremists in Timbuktu.
—Molly Quell, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Conservative activists said the group was intentionally − and unfairly − labeling mainstream political and religious organizations as extremist, raising concerns about political bias.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
Vulnerable rural communities regularly come under fire from Islamic extremists and bandits who take advantage of Nigeria’s vast rural areas and security gaps.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
The Associated Press reported that Algerian authorities rejected a Vatican request for Leo to visit Médéa to pray at the Tibhirine monastery, the place where seven French Trappist monks were kidnapped and killed May 21, 1996, by Islamic extremists during the country’s civil war.
—Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026
Modern extremists aren’t known for their love of Broadway, but a song about impressing a girl by killing a president takes on new meaning when sung from the lips of a social media loner.
—Charles Lewis Iii, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026
Violent extremists feasted on this great replacement propaganda, using it to justify terror attacks across the West.
—Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
Yet Ali’s act does not only evoke terrorist incidents such as the Charlie Hebdo attack, perpetrated by Muslim extremists, just a few months prior to The Red Chador.
—H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 31 Mar. 2026
The Italian metal extremist has been going down a rabbit hole of his own with a series of highly technical I, Voidhanger releases marked by extraterrestrial synth work and winding, stop-on-a-dime riffs.
—Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extremist
Adjective
-
Firecracker became extremely loyal to Homelander and regurgitated his radical conservative views to the public.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But there’s also a risk for cooptation, with the most radical components of the movement being sidelined either because of pragmatism (prioritizing the work that can get funded) or discomfort.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The second includes former revolutionaries, reformists, communist factions and groups such as the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), many of whom emerged from or once supported the revolutionary system before later opposing it.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
In 1777, he was summoned to Paris to meet with American revolutionaries, including Benjamin Franklin.—
Amanda Rosa
Updated April 28,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Typical pulsating aurora displays last 10 to 20 minutes, but Kerss had captured almost three hours of extreme pulsating auroras — an unusually powerful display and one of the longest on record, according to the statement.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Threats are growing from more extreme weather.—
Michael Copley,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The same obviously applied to those season-ticket holders who showed a near-rabid support for their coach.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
All series, the Timberwolves have been rabid with their intensity and purpose on the floor.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extremist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extremist. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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