terrorist

[ter-er-ist]

noun

1. a person, usually a member of a group, who uses or advocates terrorism.

2. a person who terrorizes or frightens others.

3. (formerly) a member of a political group in Russia aiming at the demoralization of the government by terror.

4. an agent or partisan of the revolutionary tribunal during the Reign of Terror in France.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of terrorism or terrorists.

   terrorist tactics.

terrorist

/ ˈtɛrərɪst /

noun

1. 1. a person who employs terror or terrorism, esp as a political weapon

   2. ( as modifier )

      terrorist tactics

Other Word Forms

• terroristic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of terrorist¹

First recorded in 1785–95; terror + -ist; compare French terroriste

Example Sentences

The White House has designated several Latin American-based criminal organizations as foreign terrorist organizations.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Defend Our Juries, a group campaigning against the government's decision to ban Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, has accused ministers of pursuing an "anti-democratic agenda".

Read more on BBC

Tehran struck back, calling the remarks "irresponsible and shameful" and accusing the United States of being "a leading producer of terrorism and a supporter of the terrorist and genocidal Zionist regime".

Read more on Barron's

He also called for resuming construction of the border wall, designating cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and pausing refugee resettlements for four months.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The terrorists now have their clutches only on Israel’s dead, 24 of whom they failed to turn over as the deal requires.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• assassin 
• bomber 
• fanatic 
• guerrilla 
• gunman 
• hijacker 
• insurgent 
• radical 
• rebel 
• revolutionary 
• sniper 
• zealot