conspiracist

American  

[kuhn-spir-uh-sist] / kənˈspɪr ə sɪst /

noun

1. a person who believes in or supports a conspiracy theory.

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Usage

What does conspiracist mean? A conspiracist is someone who creates, promotes, or believes in a conspiracy theory—an explanation of an event that claims it was the result of a secret and often complex and evil plot by multiple people.Conspiracy theories and the conspiracists who promote or formulate them often reject the standard or accepted explanation of unexplained or unusual events and claim that they are the doing of evil conspirators secretly conspiring behind the scenes.Conspiracy most commonly means a secret plan by multiple people to do something evil or illegal. Conspiracy can also refer to the act of making such plans—the act of conspiring—or to the group making the plans. The people involved can be called conspirators.In conspiracy theory, the word theory is used in a general way to refer to a proposed explanation that has not been proven. But conspiracists don’t usually treat such theories as just guesses—they often promote them as fact, no matter how bizarre or far-fetched they may be.Most conspiracy theories involve supposedly secret knowledge of the supposedly secret and evil dealings of powerful people, especially politicians, government officials, billionaires, and celebrities. Such plots are often claimed to have the goal of controlling world events and ordinary people.A close synonym of conspiracist is conspiracy theorist. A less common synonym is conspiratorialist.Example: Conspiracists don’t care that their theories have been repeatedly debunked—in fact, they take any criticism as proof that they’re right.

Example Sentences

Funnily enough, Kardashian would probably adore Courtney Stephens and Callie Hernandez’s “Invention,” a brilliant, mostly-fictionalized film about conspiracy and family, sprinkled with bits of truth and real-life video of Hernandez’s father, a new-age healer turned conspiracist.

From Salon

Sadly, he only sells enough tomes to keep gas in his beat-up van and pursue his calling as Tulsa’s resident “truthstorian,” a blend of journalist and conspiracist.

From Salon

But it likely had a sobering effect on his conspiracist base.

From Salon

Even House Rep. Chip Roy, an otherwise-reliable conspiracist, took to social media to swat down this feel-good hoax.

From Slate

I also agree that mockery is unlikely to help coax a person out of this kind of belief, though it’s legitimate, and I do think it can be useful in putting people off early on.I think that the reason that mockery is often ineffective is that it reinforces the conspiracist’s sense of exclusion, disempowerment and humiliation, particularly if that is then countered with warmth and affirmation from fellow believers.

From Salon