Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for crusader. Search instead for crusader's.
Synonyms

crusader

American  
[kroo-seyd-er] / kruˈseɪd ər /

noun

  1. Often Crusader a participant in any of the crusades or military expeditions undertaken with papal sanction by the Christians of Europe in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries in an effort to recover the Holy Land from the Muslims.

    Orders of monks who were also knights became the "storm troops" of the Christian crusaders.

  2. a participant in any vigorous movement for the defense or advancement of an idea, cause, etc..

    Nepal's most prominent crusader for equal rights for sexual minorities was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.


Etymology

Origin of crusader

crusade ( def. ) + -er 1 ( def. )

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.

Jane Fonda, the renowned actor and political crusader, has made air quality a target of her protests.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Born in Seoul in 1960, months before a military coup, Yoon studied law and went on to become a public prosecutor and anti-corruption crusader.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

Khan gained a reputation as a trustbusting crusader under Biden before stepping down earlier this year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 8, 2025

“Only Nixon could go to China,” because Richard Nixon had spent decades in Congress making his name as a rabid anti-communist crusader.

From Slate • Sep. 8, 2025

Royal had read of the man’s exploits in the newspaper—lawyer, abolitionist crusader, bane of slavers and those who did their dirty work.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead