noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of extremist
Explanation
Nowadays, we tend to associate the word extremist with "terrorist," and use the two words almost interchangeably to define someone who holds radical political or religious views. An extremist can hold views on any subject: if you believe all little brothers should be banned from their siblings' rooms, or that anyone who roots for a different baseball team should be quarantined, then you, my friend, are an extremist. What tends to unite all extremists is their willingness to act, often violently, to realize their beliefs. Little brothers, watch out.
Vocabulary lists containing extremist
"Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963)
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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
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President Obama's U.N. Address
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The move is designed to "hold extremist settlers accountable for the horrific levels of settler violence", the five countries said.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
What happens when an AI-worshipping extremist logs in one morning and discovers that the entity he believes to be God has been taken offline or overwritten—in his eyes, killed?
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
And psychologists and psychiatrists say kids, in their formative years, could easily see extremist content online and, in some cases, possibly connect with extremist groups in search of social belonging.
From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026
Researchers are finding that extremist ideas are now spreading through looser networks where many voices contribute and messaging can vary widely.
From Salon • May 8, 2026
Even Mazzini, the extremist, and both Cavour and Gavazzi finally came to accept Manin's demands for freedom and equality as they were set forth in the Constitution of the American Republic.
From What You Can Do With Your Will Power by Conwell, Russell H.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
